Issuu

December 6, 2020 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Parents question validity of CUSD virus data BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Candace Ditzler was surprised when she called the Chandler Unified School District to report her 9-year-old daughter had recently tested positive for COVID-19. While speaking to someone from the district’s health office, she said, Ditzler was informed that her daughter, a fourth grader at Jacobson Elementary School, would likely not be counted in the district’s public data of COVID-19 cases. CUSD started publishing numbers of COVID-19 cases at each of its 46 campuses after it returned to in-person teaching in September. The data

Candace Ditzler, seen here with her daughter Tatum, questions the validity of Chandler Unified’s COVID-19 dashboard because her daughter was not counted because school officials said she had not contracted COVID-19 on Jacobson Elementary’s campus. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

are updated daily and show how many students and staff at each school have been infected thus far. Ditzler said she was shocked to learn the district’s data does not represent every student who tests positive for the virus. She said CUSD told her that students who were not infected on campus do not get included in the data dashboard. Because Ditzler had cautiously taken her daughter out of school a few days before getting her tested, the mother discovered her daughter’s case wasn’t considered a school-related infection. “I was really upset at that point,” Ditzler recalled. It didn’t make sense to Ditzler because she couldn’t understand how

CUSD could conclude definitively her daughter was not infected on campus and would omit her from the district dashboard. “That to me seems really shady because if a kid’s positive, a kid’s positive,” she said. On Thursday, the district issued an email to parents that stresseed, "It is important to note that if a student or staff who have a confirmed positive COVID-19 test but did not participate in any on-campus activities during their infectious period are currently NOT reported on the dashboard." It said the dashboard is meant to "communicate the active confirmed See

VIRUS on page 11

New day has dawned for marijuana users BY JIM WALSH Staff Writer

Arizona’s newly approved Proposition 207 is enabling as many as three million residents to buy a small amount marijuana legally for the first time without a state-issued medical card and get high in their home. The new law promises millions of dollars for teacher training, substance abuse treatment, suicide prevention and even enforcement of impaired driving laws. It also promises a host of challenges. Police are preparing for more impaired drivers. The courts could see a deluge of requests for expungements of prior marijuana possession convictions. Prop 207 provides for neither defense. Prop 207 won a much larger victory – 1,946,440-1,302,458, or 60-40 percent, according to unofficial results – than President-elect Joe Biden did in the state. Although it legalizes possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, its full impact probably won’t hit home until April – when medical marijuana dispensaries will be able to sell weed to millions of new customers who won’t have to qualify for a medical marijuana card. Of course, it’s not as if those without a card couldn’t find marijuana in Arizona, a border state known for illegal drug trafficking. However, voter approval of the medical marijuana proposition in 2010 gave birth to a thriving industry. Through October, 287,715 residents with cards bought 2,786,197 ounces of marijuana from dispensaries this year alone, according to the Arizona Depart-

ment of Health Services. Tom Dean, a defense attorney who specializes in marijuana cases, said he anticipates many people will not understand all the nuances in the new law. He said people may mistakenly believe they can buy recreational marijuana now. They can’t because no dispensary is authorized to sell it and likely won’t be until April and Dean thinks some people “are going to say, ‘screw that, I’m going to buy it from someone willing to sell it to me.’’

dispensaries “areThestocking up and

ramping up production, the product is going to expand in availability. It won’t be about quantity – it will be about quality.

’’

– Paul Paredes

Assuming the election results are certified tomorrow, the law will allow anyone over 21 to possess an ounce of marijuana legally and smoke it in their home. Since those without a card won’t find any place to buy it legally, Dean advises people to be patient and wait until April, when dispensaries are expected to have the green light to sell recreational weed. See

MARIJUANA on page 16

Despite curbs on bars and restaurants during the pandemic, drunk driving arrests are up in Chandler and other communities and police will be looking for impaired drivers throughout the season. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Nightlife may have ebbed, but drunk driving hasn’t BY JIM WALSH Staff Writer

Police tactics are changing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the East Valley DUI Task Force will return during the holiday season with the same goal of promoting public safety by busting as many impaired drivers as possible. Throughout Arizona, driving under the influence arrests are down 10-15 percent this year, but East Valley

agencies report the opposite trend, with Gilbert police arrests increasing 31 percent from a year ago and Chandler police also reporting an increase. Mesa and Scottsdale police report little change from a year ago, with drivers still drinking or using drugs before getting behind the wheel – apparently more at home or private social gatherings. “Overall, our numbers are down

F E AT U R E STO R I E S Proposals for widening I-10 in Chandler . . . . . . . . . . COMMUNITY . . . . . .Page 8 State Forty Eight creates foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . BUSINESS . . . . . . . Page 29 Chandler High team's therapy dog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPORTS . . . . . . . . Page 36 Chandler teacher praised for innovation . . . . . . . . . NEIGHBORS . . . . . Page 41 New high-end restaurant coming to Chandler . . . EAT . . . . . . . . . . . Page 54

See

DUI on page 7

More Community . . . 1-27 Business . . . . . 29-34 Sports . . . . . . . 36-38 Opinion . . . . . . . . 39 Neighbors . . . 41-45 Arts . . . . . . . . . 47-50 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Directory . . . . 52-53 Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Chandler mother pleads to drowning her baby in tub SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A Chandler mother has pleaded guilty to drowning her infant son in a bathtub. Jenna Folwell, 21, pleaded guilty last month in Superior Court to the second-degree murder of her son, Rainer, whose body was found stuffed in a duffle bag and hidden inside a cabinet of the defendant’s Chandler apartment. According to Folwell’s plea agreement, the defendant has agreed to serve at least 14 years in the prison. The aggravated maximum prison sentence for second-degree murder is 25 years. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed other criminal charges, including child abuse and false reporting to law enforcement. Chandler Police arrested Folwell in October 2018 after she confessed to harming her month-old son. “Folwell admitted to getting into the bathtub with her son and then letting him go,’’ Chandler investigators wrote in court documents. “Jenna said she settled on this way because she did not want to hear her baby cry.’’ Folwell initially told Chandler Police her son was abducted by an unknown man at a park near Dobson and Warner roads.

Jenna Folwell She claimed the man approached her from behind and covered her face with a plastic bag, warning her he’d kill Rainer if she removed the covering. Chandler investigators started searching for Folwell’s missing baby and obtained permission from her father to search the family’s apartment. Rainer was found wrapped in wet blankets inside a duffle bag. Folwell then changed her sto-

ry, claiming Rainer had accidentally drowned after she fainted in the bathtub and she conjured up the kidnapping ploy to protect herself. Court records show Folwell changed her story again after Chandler Police confronted the defendant with incriminating evidence recovered from her cell phone. Before Rainer’s death, Folwell made numerous searches on her phone for “ways to die instantly” and “missing baby cases.” Officers reviewed more than 100 searches for information on why parents kill children and how long it takes for babies to drown. Folwell admitted to intentionally placing her son in the bathtub and letting him go for up to a minute. She told investigators she immediately regretted her decision and attempted to revive the baby by performing CPR. At the time of her arrest, Chandler Police said Folwell did not offer a motive for why she let her son drown. Eric Canku Jr., the child’s father, told the press he was willing to take care of Rainer if Folwell had told him she couldn’t handle motherhood. Folwell had no criminal history prior to her arrest. She will be formally sentenced Dec. 14.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

What can you learn about senior living at our upcoming event? A whole bunch. Amy “Ruby” Leagans.

Timothy Sullivan

Man arrested in missing Chandler woman’s slaying

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Police have arrested a man in connection with the slaying of a Chandler woman who initially was reported missing in October. Timothy Sullivan, 61, was arrested in Tempe a few days after Chandler Police identified him as a person of interest in the slaying of Amy “Ruby” Leagans. Leagans’ family reported her missing Oct. 27 after they had not heard from her in a week. Police Department found her remains Nov. 17 near a river bottom at 3100 South Central Avenue. Chandler Police said when they arrested Sullivan around Mill Avenue and Baseline

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Road, they discovered he had tried to change his appearance by shaving his head. Chandler Police said the homicide occurred at 1320 N. McQueen Road but provided no additional details. The affidavit of probable cause for Sullivan’s arrest was sealed under court order. However, one report based on the affidavit before it was sealed said Sullivan strangled the victim because he "lost it," buried her first in Scottsdale, then exhumed the body and dismembered it. Police records show Sullivan has convictions for domestic violence, DUI, assault and other charges. He was booked into the county jail on a second-degree murder charge.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Former Chandler court commissioner threatens suit BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

A former commissioner of Chandler Municipal Court is seeking $2.5 million in damages from the city after claiming to be the victim of retaliation and discrimination. Nicole Countryman, who resigned from the city court in September, filed a notice of claim earlier this month listing out a series of allegations against her former boss, City Magistrate David Fuller. Such notices are a precursor to a lawsuit. Countryman accused Fuller of treating her unfairly after she filed a complaint against another court employee and mistreating her in front of her colleagues. James Woods, an attorney representing Countryman, described Fuller as having a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” personality who allegedly singled out Countryman by belittling her in group emails and forcing her to work on weekends. “This highly offensive behavior had a serious impact on the psychological well-being of Ms. Countryman,” Woods wrote in his legal claim, “and continues to cause her severe emotional distress.” A city spokesman said the city could not comment on Countryman’s allegations due to a current investigation into its court employees. Countryman was hired as one of Chandler’s court commissioners in

2019 and was responsible for helping the magistrate preside over the many traffic tickets and petty crimes that are brought before municipal court each year. According to Countryman’s claim, the former commissioner first started having problems with Fuller in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Countryman accused Fuller of not taking any action to protect court staff during the first two months of the pandemic. “Court leadership maintained the position that this was merely the flu and put in zero protocols to protect their employees,” Countryman’s claim states. Countryman claimed she started wearing a face mask in April even though most of her colleagues opted not to wear one. After the Arizona Supreme Court required all the state’s judicial employees to start wearing masks in June, one of Countryman’s colleagues went around the office offering masks. Countryman claimed this colleague came into her office holding a bunch of white-colored masks and one black-colored mask. Countryman, who is African-American, claimed the coworker offered her the black mask and Countryman declined. The court’s two other African-American employees were only offered black

face masks as well, according to Countryman’s complaint. Countryman felt the way masks were distributed in the office was “racially offensive” and “inappropriate” – prompting her to file a complaint with the city’s human resources department. The city ruled Countryman’s complaint about the mask situation could not be substantiated. Afterwards, Countryman claimed Judge Fuller started retaliating against her and stopped speaking to her in-person. She accused Fuller of forcing her to work weekends and forfeit vacation time after she was unable to gain access to a cell phone for a few hours while working remotely from home. In September, Countryman wrote a discharge letter to the city indicating she could no longer tolerate Fuller’s “abuse.” Countryman tried rescinding her letter after the city informed her an independent investigation into complaints against Fuller had begun. According to the claim, Fuller emailed Countryman the city had “no authority” to rescind her resignation letter. Countryman is now seeking punitive damages for her lost income and emotional distress that she endured for the last few months. “Ms. Countryman has had insomnia, severe anxiety and depression, and sought medical treatment,” Country-

man’s attorney wrote in the claim. “She continues to experience emotional discomfort.” The portrayal of Fuller in Countryman’s claim is a stark contrast to the community-minded professional the magistrate presented when he joined the city court last year. Fuller was appointed to preside over the Chandler court in June 2019 after serving as assistant director of Phoenix’s Office of Court Appointed Attorneys and working as an assistant prosecutor for the Town of Gilbert. Aside from his legal career, Fuller has volunteered for Chandler American Little League, the Special Olympics of America, the East Valley Regional Veterans Court, and a local dog rescue organization. “I think my background is ideal for it and I’m entirely invested in our community,” Fuller said after his court appointment. “I have nothing but love for Chandler. I wanna keep us going in the right direction.” The Arizona Bar Association does not list any disciplinary actions taken against Fuller. Countryman has recently filed a separate complaint against Chandler’s court staff with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Countryman’s attorney said she’s willing to forgo litigation against the city if she is reinstated to her former position.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Chandler family helps hospice families BY LIN SUE COONEY Guest Writer

For the past four years, Amber Kovarik of Chandler has donated dozens of Thanksgiving meals to Hospice of the Valley patients and families impacted by cancer. She says it’s a gift of gratitude in memory of her sister Shannon, who received such compassionate care at the agency’s Dobson Home in 2017. After Shannon’s death at age 32, Kovarik started Shannon’s Giving, a foundation to help families who recently lost a loved one to cancer or have someone so sick that the thought of putting on a Thanksgiving dinner is completely overwhelming. “I know how tough life can be when you have a loved one in hospice and my hope with Shannon’s Giving is to be able to shed some light on a dark time,” said Kovarik, a branch manager and loan officer for Guild Mortgage in Chandler. On Thanksgiving eve, 90 Thanksgiving meals from a Whole Foods store in Chandler were delivered to families under Hospice of the Valley care in Maricopa and Pinal counties, and to inpatient care homes including Dobson Home in Mesa, Lund Home in Gilbert and Eckstein Center in Scottsdale. “It is such an honor to be able to do this and it would not be possible without the support from Hospice of the Valley,” Kovarik said. “It is so important for me to give back

Chandler resident Amer Kovarik enlisted her dad, Dave, and her daughters Jade, left, and Tatum to deliver meals to Hospice of the Valley patients on Thanksgiving Eve. (Courtesy of Hospice of the Valley)

to HOV and their patients because HOV gave so much to me. The passing of my sister was the hardest and most emotional experience of my life,” she continued. “The way our HOV caregivers handled this extremely trying time was incredible. They coached us through it and felt like family to us.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

DUI

from page 1

slightly from last year. However, our crashes involving impaired drivers have remained at a similar level,’’ said Sgt. Ben Hoster, a Scottsdale police spokesman. “This is still significant because of how nightlife has been impacted. “Across the Valley, we are seeing a noticeable amount of people driving impaired that are not coming from the establishments impacted by the pandemic.’’ Mesa police Officer George Chwe, a state instructor in DUI investigations, said the problem can be traced to substance abuse and addiction. “A lot of old habits are coming back,’’ Chwe said, with people who have suffered from substance abuse in the past likely backsliding under the pressure of losing their jobs and sustaining other setbacks during the pandemic. “I think impaired driving and substance abuse will be a huge factor,’’ he said, as the nation mobilizes to defeat the pandemic and return to a sense of normalcy. “We’re just changing our tactics, but it’s business as usual,’’ Chwe said. “We’re doing it in a COVID-prevention manner.’’ Chwe said the entire point is to prevent needless fatalities and deter high-risk behavior that can have a deadly consequence for innocent people on the road. “People do make mistakes. We would rather catch them before they make a tremendous mistake, killing someone,’’ he said. Alberto Gutier, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said police are changing tactics to avoid either contracting COVID-19 from each other or from suspects during traffic stops or at mobile testing and booking stations. “We have to very careful. No briefings with 50 people in a room,’’ Gutier said. He said the safety protocols will help protect officers and suspects alike by promoting social distancing, with maybe one suspect being booked at a time in a command van, while the others wait outside. Other holiday enforcement campaigns this year, during the July 3 holiday and Labor Day, have followed similar practices. Gutier anticipates that arrests statewide from the holiday enforcement campaigns will probably drop 10-15 percent from this time last year. He canceled his yearly Thanksgiving rally against DUI at the State Capitol, where police from around the state

would gather in a show of force to publicize their campaign, which is largely funded by federal highway safety grants. Instead, police agencies will either work on their own, or form smaller, regional partnerships to carry out the campaign through New Year’s Day, he said. Barring an extreme flare-up of COVID-19, the East Valley task force has been divided into north and south divisions. Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler will form the south division, while Tempe, Scottsdale, the state Department of Public Safety, the Maricopa County Sheriff ’s Office, the Arizona State University police and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa tribal police form the northern contingent. Hoster said the two divisions also cut down on travel time, allowing officers to focus more on DUI enforcement. “Each of the respective cities have grown up enough that they need their traffic units working in their own city at night,’’ he wrote. “Eliminating the drive time, for example, between Scottsdale and Gilbert allows more time for officers to focus on enforcement.’’ Brenda Carrasco, spokeswoman for the Gilbert police, said the plan is to use a somewhat scaled-down approach featuring six nights of enforcement during the holiday period. The task force would rotate their enforcement efforts among the three cities, hitting Gilbert one night and Chandler or Mesa the next, she said. “We have seen a 31 percent increase in DUI arrests. We have had our traffic units go out three nights a week,’’ Carrasco said, adding that all Gilbert patrol officers are vigilant about spotting possibly impaired drivers. “When you can take people off the road who are endangering others, you want to do that,’’ she said, adding, “we don’t have a specific answer as to why’’ arrests have increased. Gilbert’s DUI arrests have increased to 1,092 between January and October 2020, from 832 during the same period in 2019, Carrasco said. Detective Zachary Waters, a Chandler police spokesman, said traffic officers have noted an uptick as well and his department is planning saturation patrols throughout the holidays. “We just want to keep impaired drivers off the roadways,’’ Waters said. “We think people still continue to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol. We believe the task force is still important.’’

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

ADOT has 2 widening options for I-10 in Chandler BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The Arizona Department of Transportation has proposed a number of infrastructure improvements to the section of Interstate 10 running through Chandler. After studying the busy freeway and collecting public input for the last year, ADOT officials have several options for reducing congestion and improving safety along that stretch of the highway. The 26-mile stretch of freeway running between Phoenix and Casa Grande is notorious for being the site of several deadly accidents and backed up traffic. ADOT launched a study last summer to examine the feasibility of widening I-10 by a couple lanes and refurbishing several overpass bridges. “The purpose of this study is to increase the capacity of Interstate 10 to meet the projected travel demand and decrease congestion,” said Carlos Lopez, the study’s manager. The agency has narrowed its options to: not building any additions, adding two lanes in each direction near the median or adding two lanes on the outer edges of the existing freeway. The third option could be the most expensive, noisy and adversely impact archaeological resources. A no-build option would generate a negative impact on the region’s air quality due to growing amounts of traffic, the agency said. If ADOT made no changes to the freeway, then the agency believes it will take drivers an extra eight minutes to travel from Casa Grande to Chandler by 2040. Adding lanes closer to the median appears to pose the most neutral impact on the surrounding environment while still achieving the overall objectives of reducing congestion and improving safety. ADOT recently finished gathering

or replacing the existing bridge. Lopez said the overpass options will be selected based on whether ADOT recommends widening the freeway. “As we look to narrow down to a recommended build alternative,” he stated, “it will be a combination of This rendering shows how one of the options for widening a stretch of I-10 that runs through one of the mainline alternaChandler would look. (Arizona Department of Transportation) tives combined with one of the options from each of the corridor.” public input on the options and is crossroads.” The study has additionally offered drafting its recommendations. The pubThe issue of expanding I-10 has been options for redeveloping overpasses lic will be able to review and comment a recurring topic among residents for and crossroads located at Wild Horse on the agency’s final recommendation several years, yet state officials were Pass Boulevard, Queen Creek Road, once it’s released in late 2021. hesitant to study the project until the Riggs Road, Nelson Road, Casa Blanca If the state ultimately decides to Gila River Indian Community agreed to Road, and Dirk Lay Road. widen the interstate, ADOT projects participate in the process. Since the freeway cuts through the tribe’s reservation, Gila River has legal jurisdiction over the land surrounding I-10 and would have to be involved in any infrastructure additions ADOT would want to make in the future. The tribe’s support had been in question at first since Gila River has not always been welcoming to freeway projects taking place on its land. Gila River previously took the state to – Stephen Roe Lewis court in an attempt to stop the South Mountain Freeway project from getting built between Chandler and west PhoeADOT has crafted four options for it would probably start the project in nix. The tribe’s lawsuit failed with the redesigning the Riggs Road overpass 2024 by focusing on the 6-mile section court ruling in favor of the state. that involve adding shoulders and sideof I-10 located between the Loop 202 Gila River Indian Gov. Stephen Roe walks on the bridge’s edges. One option and Riggs Road. Lewis expressed support for the I-10 requires removing the existing bridge The rest of the project would get study early on and continues to remain built out in chunks, depending on when and shifting it further south. involved in the project’s process. The Queen Creek overpass could funding becomes available. “This project will benefit the combe turned into a diverging diamond No cost estimates were released munity and our members in a number interchange or a displaced left-turn on each option. The agency previously of ways,” Lewis said, “and provide interchange. The former option could committed at least $50 million to the better access to the community’s busihave a greater negative impact on the project and the federal government nesses and attractions that generate project’s construction costs. could potentially offer additional aid. The Casa Blanca overpass has six op- revenue to support our government “There are federal grant opportuniand members.” tions for infrastructure improvements ties this project could apply to,” Lopez More information on the ADOT that could include roundabouts, adding said. “There’s some existing funding project can be found at i10wildhorseturn lanes, a split diamond interchange, along the corridor, but not the entire passcorridor.com.

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project will beneﬁt the community and “ourThismembers in a number of ways, and provide

better access to the community’s businesses and attractions that generate revenue to support our government and members.

”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Arizona could get COVID-19 vaccine this month BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona is expected to receive “hundreds of thousands” of doses of vaccine for COVID-19 by the end of the month, state health chief Cara Christ said last week, with priority for health-care workers, vulnerable populations, residents of long-term care facilities and teachers. The Dec. 2 announcement came even as she disclosed that one person out of every seven who got tested for the virus last week showed they were infected. And her agency reported a new one-day record for cases. But Gov. Doug Ducey, standing at her side, refused to put any new mitigation measures or restrictions in place to get the state past the point where a majority of Arizonans can actually be inoculated. He specifically rejected a proposal by the chief medical officers of several Arizona hospitals to put in place a curfew, close restaurants to indoor dining and cancel group athletic activities. Instead, Ducey said he is relying on the idea that Arizona will have sufficient hospital beds to treat those who get ill in the interim. That assumes that hospitals can find the qualified medical personnel to staff these beds. Earlier Wednesday, Marjorie Bessel, chief clinical officer for Banner Health, said the problem now is that Arizona is no longer the only state with a surge. That makes it difficult to recruit help from elsewhere.

And while Banner is in the process of filling 1,500 positions, she said efforts are still underway to hire 900 more. Ducey agreed to provide an additional $60 million to Arizona hospitals to help them find the staff they. That is on top of a $25 million infusion less than a month ago. But Bessel said the picture in Arizona is “grim,’’ predicting that Banner hospitals will hit 125 percent of bed capacity this month and even exceed that, at least briefly, in January. The most recent data from the Arizona Department of Health Services already has ICU bed use at 90 percent of capacity. Hitting 125 percent is not necessarily a problem as hospitals are required to have made plans for that surge, including converting other non-ICU beds and other facilities for intensive-care use. But the Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation predicts that the demand for ICU beds will hit 300 percent of capacity by the middle of January unless there are steps taken to curb the spread of the virus. It was for that reason that Bessel and medical officers from Mayo Clinic and Dignity Health specifically asked Christ this week to impose the additional restrictions. In fact, Bessel specifically praised Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and the city council for voting Tuesday night to impose as 10 p.m. curfew that will run for three weeks. “A curfew is mitigation that absolutely can work,’’ Bessel said. “It can work and it will work if we deploy it.’’

Ducey conceded that the vaccines, which will only start to be available later this month only for those in the highest priority classes, won’t make any immediate dent in the increasing trend in cases. “We are in for a tough several weeks here,’’ the governor said. As for Tucson’s curfew, Ducey said, “I don’t think it’s the right approach.” “We want to do things that will allow businesses to operate safely,’’ Ducey continued. The governor brushed aside questions about the rapid virus spread even as Christ acknowledged that 15 percent of the tests for the virus conducted last week are coming back positive. His focus is on the economy. “I don’t think the right answer is to throw hundreds of thousands of Arizonans out of work before the holidays to slow this spread because I don’t think it would slow the spread,’’ he said. And the governor said there are other complications of restrictions, “like suicide attempts, like depression, like emotional and social disconnection, like child abuse and like domestic violence.’’ The lone new regulation of sorts that Ducey did impose Wednesday is not actually anything the state would enforce. His current executive orders prohibit gatherings of more than 50 unless local governments approve. Now, the governor said, these governments will have to have a written agreement with event organizers that they will require and enforce certain safety measures, like

distancing and the use of masks. For vaccines, Ducey said first priority will go to health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities and other “vulnerable’’ populations. The governor is specifically including teachers in that first group. That dovetails with his often-repeated argument that he wants more in-classroom teaching and less online education. The premise is that once teachers have immunity, they will be more willing to return to work. And while the date for vaccines for all Arizonans has yet to be determined, Ducey issued an executive order spelling out that all residents will be able to get inoculated “without financial barriers.’’ Ducey also set aside $1 million in grants to help restaurants and other dining facilities expand their outdoor dining operations. But not everything being done for restaurants is financial. Ducey is suspending a provision in law that says restaurants can serve alcoholic beverages only to patrons dining in-house or at an outdoor patio directly connected to the business. That has proven to be a barrier for restaurants that have received local permission to operate in parking lots and even on cordoned-off areas of the street because there is a sidewalk in between. The governor said that prohibition makes no sense when the state, with its good weather, should be encouraging more dining outdoors, where the risk of spreading the virus is reduced.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

VIRUS

to the district’s leaders – some demanding schools be kept open and others they be closed. CUSD officials have repeatedly found themselves making decisions that can’t satisfy both groups. Ditzler said the divisiveness among the community’s reaction to the pandemic is starting to make her lose trust in how the district is managing it. “I feel like it just keeps getting more and more political and it keeps getting to where it’s not about the children’s health anymore, it’s about making themselves look good,” she said. When the district shut down back in March, Ditzler said she went to great lengths to protect her daughter from catching COVID-19 while at home. The family rarely left the house, wore masks regularly, and limited faceto-face contact with friends. Ditzler said she had to be extra careful about avoiding COVID-19 because her mother is a cancer patient and she worries about exposing her to the virus. But within a month of Ditzler’s daughter returning to school, the fourth grader had tested positive for the virus. Ditzler said she was alerted by the district on Nov. 6 that someone in her daughter’s class had contracted the virus. The letter indicated her daughter was ruled out as someone who had close contact with the infected individual and so did not need to stay at home for two weeks. More than 1,800 students in the district have already had to go into

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cases" and that officials are "developing a process to communicate confirmed non-campus exposure cases on the dashboard – an addition that would be implemented next month. Ditzler’s situation demonstrates the complexity that goes with trying to manage and track a pandemic within a district of more than 50,000 students and employees. It also comes as COVID-19 is surging in Chandler and across Arizona. Data the county health department released Dec. 3 – the latest available – show both cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of positive tests have steadily risen district-wide. The data show that for the week of Nov. 22, cases per 100,000 had gone from 281 to 499 while positive test results rose from 10.5 percent to 11.5 percent in both the city and Chandler Unified. Both metrics were at levels indicating substantial virus spread. Last month, the third metric – percentage of hospital visits with COVIDlike symptoms – rose for the first time in months into a level showing moderate spread. As the metrics have risen, CUSD administrators and board members have been the subject of intense scrutiny by parents looking closely at how they will handle educating hordes of children amid the pandemic. Hundreds of emails have been sent

School teacher, regularly tracks the number of COVID-19 cases reported at her daughter’s school, Willis Junior High, and recently noticed a change in the data that caught her attention. CUSD listed Willis as having zero active cases and three resolved cases of COVID-19 – meaning the infected students were cleared to return to school. The next day, McIntosh noticed Willis had listed four resolved cases. McIntosh was alarmed by the change since Willis had not listed any new active cases before adding another resolved case to its numbers. “There is something wonky about the reporting,” she said. “It’s just really weird.” CUSD says its numbers are based on information from the Maricopa County Public Health Department and cases voluntarily reported by families with sick children. McIntosh, a cancer survivor, has decided to have her daughter attend school once every nine days in order to limit her exposure to the virus. The district can only disenroll a student if they miss 10 consecutive days of school, she noted. McIntosh hopes CUSD will offer a virtual teaching option that will allow her daughter to receive more instruction from teachers remotely. The district’s online school is too text-based, she said, and doesn’t work for students who need more teacher instruction. “I just wish they would exercise some leadership skills and get creative,” McIntosh added.

quarantine since September. Ditzler said she questioned whether her daughter was exposed to the infected classmate and decided to take her out of school. By Nov. 15, test results came back and showed Ditzler’s daughter had caught the virus. Her daughter has been experiencing the virus’ classic symptoms for the last couple weeks, Ditzler said, and feels guilty about possibly catching the virus from one of her classmates. Now, she has been left to struggle with deciding when to send her daughter back to Jacobson Elementary. Since situations like her daughter’s might not get counted in the district’s data, Ditzler is suspicious about trusting the dashboard as a resource for helping her in that decision. “There’s a lot of us questioning the dashboard and trying to figure out what in the world they’re doing,” Ditzler said. Kat McIntosh, who has two children attending CUSD schools, said she thinks the district’s dashboard is “misleading” and might not give the most accurate picture of the virus’ presence in classrooms. Maricopa County lists CUSD as having “substantial” risk for COVID-19 exposure on its website, she noted, yet the district uses its data to justify keeping its schools open. Last month, the district adopted new guidelines outlining when it would shut down individual schools and return to virtual learning. These guidelines are based on the rate of infection at each campus. McIntosh, a former Hamilton High

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Regal closing hits area strip mall hard BY MADELEINE WILLIAMSON Contributor

The show must go on but for business owners in Gilbert Town Square, there is uncertainty about their survival in the wake of Regal Gilbert Cinema’s closure. The movie house closed Oct. 8, and the flow of customers into the strip mall has been felt by its neighboring businesses. Regal Gilbert Cinemas is one of 536 multiplexes in the country that were closed temporarily by U.S. Cineworld Group Plc., the nation’s second-largest movie house chain, because of the pandemic. Regal Gilbert Cinema has been dark for nearly two months, hurting businesses in the “In response to an increasingly Gilbert Town Square that relied on the patrons its offerings would draw to the strip mall. challenging theatrical landscape and (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer) sustained key market closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Regal will be While it reopened, the theater reduce showtimes to allow for sanitiztemporarily suspending operations at continued to pull potential customers ing between showings. all of its Regal theaters in the U.S.,” the to the area, Chef W, co-owner of Not Worse, theaters haven’t had much to company announced. Your Typical Deli, said. show. Since the pandemic began, life has “I think it’s a total blow for the Spring and summer blockbusters been rough for movie houses in Arizona neighborhood,” Chef W said. were moved by distributors to fall, then and around the world. According to Alysen Lukacik, one their release was pushed again into next Arizona was one of many states of four owners of International Room year – depriving local theaters like Regal that joined countries around the world Escape AZ, the area was already seeing Gilbert Cinema of yet another profi tin ordering them closed for several less business due to COVID-19 when the able time of the year, the Thanksgivmonths. theater suddenly shut down. ing-New Year’s Day season. And when they reopened, it was “At the beginning, it was kind of like Regal Gilbert Cinema’s closure was a under regulations that enforced social a shock for us,” Lukacik said. “I don’t blow to local businesses that relied on distancing, cutting audience capacity by know if it is because of COVID or if it is EV Tribune half pg horiz • Dec 10 Dementia.pdf 11/20/2020 11:14:58 AM customer traffi c it brought to the strip as much as half and forcing theaters to because the theater is closed but it is mall.

definitely not what it used to be.” The theater’s closure is one more worry for business owners in Town Square, he added. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, you have that feeling of, not sure of what’s going on with the world, and you are not sure of what’s going on with my business and how people are going to react to that,” Lukacik said. According to Lukacik, the Town Square was always busy before the pandemic hit. “The plaza was always busy and just seeing that transformation of the plaza being empty for the whole day, it was kind of interesting,” Lukacik said. Other businesses in the strip mall agree. “We’ve definitely been hurt,” said John Decker, a co-owner of Desert Monks Brewing Co. According to Decker, movies showing on Fridays and Saturdays drew people to the area that wouldn’t otherwise drive by. “You would know when a big movie would come in,” Decker said, explaining that the increased traffic was noticeable and welcomed. Now, business has slowed even more without those movie house patrons, he said. “That’s kind of bad for us because See

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

More young adults than ever living with parents BY DYLAN BREESE AND MELISSA ZAREMBA Cronkite News

More than half of young adults 18 to 29 now live at home – the highest rate since the end of the Great Depression – and researchers say many were motivated by the pandemic. Many families already were multigenerational before the pandemic began in March, causing widespread job losses and deep economic disruption. In February, about 47 percent of young adults lived with their parents, but by July, that number jumped to an all-time high, according to Pew Research Center. Keysia Colenburg, 27, was a full-time flight attendant living in Utah before COVID-19 began to spread, but she took a leave of absence and moved back home as travel bans and a drastic downturn in tourism crippled air travel. “No matter how secure you think you are with your life and how settled

in you think you are, one little thing can change it all,” said Colenburg, who is among the 18 percent of young adults who have had to move back home to the Valley due to financial reasons.

happening in the real depths of the Great Depression.” The rise in young adults living at home wasn’t an exponential spike, he said, but more of a gradual increase

The share of the 18- to 29-year-olds living “ with a parent, it’s actually sort of been steadily rising ever since the 1960s ”

– Richard Fry

Researchers don’t know the true percentage during the Depression, which began in fall 1929. “We just don’t have that data,” Richard Fry, a Pew researcher, told Cronkite News. “So, this is the sense in which what we are observing now is at least as high as sort of what we observed in 1940; we’re not really sure what was

from decades ago. “The share of the 18- to 29-year-olds living with a parent, it’s actually sort of been steadily rising ever since the 1960s,” Fry said. In 1960, Pew Research reported 29 percent of young adults living at home, steadily increasing by a few percentage points before slightly spiking from the pandemic.

While the numbers are hitting their highest points in over a century, Jeffrey Arnett, a psychologist and senior research scholar at Clark University Jeffrey Arnett doesn’t believe it is something to worry about. “From my perspective, the real story here is less alarming than you might think. And it’s actually quite a bit more interesting than the sound bite summary,” Arnett wrote in The Conversation. “Yes, a lot of emerging adults are now living with their parents. But this is part of a larger, longer trend, with the percentage going up only modestly since COVID-19 hit. Furthermore, having grown kids still at home is not likely to do you, or them, any permanent harm.” Colenburg remarked on the advantages of moving back home. “One of the benefits from COVID has given me a lot of time to focus on other projects, which is going back to school,” she said.

Police: Cox Chandler store worker stole $68K SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Police have arrested a COX employee who embezzled $68,000 in customers’ payments made in cash at the cable company’s store near Price Road and Chandler Boulevard. Police said that Placido Vasquez

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they paid and taking the cash. Police began their investigation two months after Vasquez left the company. He told police he never thought he would get caught because he would just attribute any discrepancy in records to a typing error, according to court papers.

Vasquez has previous convictions for theft, trespassing and shoplifting, according to police records. Police said he used the stolen funds for unspecified personal expenses. Cox Communications has confirmed customers are not responsible for lack of payment based on Vasquez’s actions.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Foes seek to void Prop 208 education tax BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Top Republican legislative leaders filed suit Monday to block implementation of the voter-approved tax on the income of the wealthiest Arizonans. Legal papers filed in Maricopa County Superior Court contends that the Arizona Constitution allows only the legislature to impose a new tax, and then only with a two-thirds vote. “Because Proposition 208 did not meet either requirement, its new tax was not constitutionally enacted,’’ the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit also points out that the measure – approved by voters 51.7-48.3 percent – seeks to exempt the money raised from the constitutional cap on how much schools can spend. The attorneys say a statute -– even one approved by voters – cannot override what is in the Arizona Constitution. Attorneys for the challengers also say that the amount of spending the Invest in Ed initiative would require exceeds the amount of revenues that would be raised by the new 3.5 percent surcharge on incomes above $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. Finally, the claim says it illegally ties the hands of state lawmakers by telling them they cannot use the new revenues that would be raised – about $940 million a year – to reduce education

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spending elsewhere. That provision in particular gets the attention of the lawmakers who agreed to sign on to the lawsuit filed by the Goldwater Institute, including House Speaker Rusty Bowers of Mesa and Senate President Karen Fann. “These legislative leaders further understand that despite the authorities vested in their offices and position, they are powerless under Proposition 208 to divert funds from the general fund, each with a supermajority,’’ he said. And that, the lawyers said, limits their ability not just to reduce state taxes but also respond to emergencies and “eliminate educational programs that are no longer necessary or are deemed ineffective.’’ The litigation seeks an injunction barring implementation or enforcement of the ballot measure until there can be a full-blown hearing. A separate lawsuit also was filed Monday by Ann Siner, founder of My Sister’s Closet, and retired Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Buttrick. Backers of the measure are expected to fight both lawsuits. Attorney Roopali Desai who represents the Invest in Ed initiative said what’s lost in all this is that the Arizona Constitution makes the people co-equal with the Legislature when creating law.

And that, she said, means they have the same powers as lawmakers, even if the elected legislators disagree. A constitutional provision bars lawmakers from repealing what voters have enacted. And they can make only changes that “further the purpose’’ of the voter-approved measure, and only with a three-fourths vote of both the House and Senate. The measure, put on the ballot with a petition gathering process, was pushed by the Arizona Education Association and allied groups seeking to restore cuts that have been made to K-12 funding in the past decade. They say that per-student aid has not kept pace with inflation and student growth. Half of the funds are earmarked for schools to hire teachers and classroom support personnel, such as librarians, nurses, counselors and coaches. The dollars also could be used for raises. Another quarter is for support services personnel, including classroom aides, security personnel, food service and transportation. There’s also provisions to help fund career and technical education programs, mentoring and retaining new teachers and the Arizona Teachers Academy to provide tuition grants for those who go into education. Foes, led by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, argued there was no guarantee that the cash would

go to teachers and salaries. They also pointed out that it would raise the state’s top income tax rate, now 4.5 percent, to 8 percent, which they said would be one of the highest in the nation. And that, they argued, would be a damper on economic development. But David Lujan, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, pointed out that the only people affected would be those whose taxable income – after all deductions and credits – would be above $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for couples. Foes also questioned how much of the cash would wind up in the classroom. They pointed out that the most recent report by Auditor General Lindsey Perry said just 54.7 cents of every dollar goes into direct classroom expenses. But as Perry’s report pointed out, that figure does not include other necessary instructional support like librarians and teacher training, nor guidance counselors, nurses, speech pathologists and social workers. Perry said that, on average, Arizona schools spend less on administrative expenses than the rest of the country. Other challengers in the suit brought on behalf of Fann and Bowers include other Republican lawmakers and the owners of three businesses who say their income exceeds that $500,000 threshold and would be affected by the new law. No date has been set for a hearing.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

MARIJUANA

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

from page 1

“I expect at least short term, there will be an increase until April or May’’ in black market sales, Dean said. “When there is demand, there is supply. This will cause a large increase in the black-market supply.’’ Meanwhile, police are readying for more stoned drivers. Mesa police Officer George Chwe has spent the past year working with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, helping to establish a statewide standard for driving-under-influence investigations, which includes the influence of marijuana Mesa alone has 25 officers trained as Drug Recognition Experts and the state has added 50 more, bringing Arizona’s statewide total to 346. “I think we have a good head-start for this’’ law, Chwe said, noting more Mesa patrol officers are scheduled to receive additional training in how spot marijuana-induced impairment. Chwe agreed with Dean that at least some people won’t want to wait and simply want to get high, fueling an increase in impaired driving. “It’s going to go up. People will think it’s ok to smoke marijuana and drive,’’ Chwe said. “People smoke marijuana for the feeling it gives them. “I tell them that feeling, because they feel different, they are going to drive different. If you drive different, you are impaired.’’ Under the new law, simply driving

Prop 207 opens a whole new world to marijuana users, who by April will not be required to have a state medical marijuana card to buy it. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

with an illegal drug in your system law will no longer apply to marijuana. One major enforcement issue is the difference between arresting a driver high on alcohol and one high on weed. While drivers can be arrested for having a .08 blood alcohol level, there is no established number of nanograms of marijuana metabolite at which drivers are presumed impaired on weed. Officers must instead rely on their own observations of impaired driving and on an evaluation by a certified drug recognition expert. For marijuana consumers, the new law does come at a financial cost.

JANUARY 21-24, 2021

Prop 207 includes a 16 percent excise tax on recreational sales – a surtax on top of normal state sales taxes. Paul Paredes, a Tempe-based marijuana consultant, urged anyone with a medical marijuana card to continue using it because they won’t have to pay the excise tax. He also noted that a medical marijuana card allows the purchase of 2½ ounces of marijuana in a 14-day period while someone without the card will be able to buy an ounce a day starting in April. “The medical marijuana program is not going away,’’ Paredes said. “It would

be advantageous for all patients’’ to have a medical marijuana card. The proposition creates a potential market of more than 3 million recreational marijuana customers, he said. “The dispensaries are stocking up and ramping up production,’’ Paredes said. “The product is going to expand in availability. It won’t be about quantity – it will be about quality.’’ But Dean said many users will opt to risk arrest and continue buying from their street dealer to avoid paying any tax. “The black market will be able to offer a product for substantially less,’’ Dean said. “There’s going to be a lot of people who decide to sell without a license.’’ He said some users resent the fact that the marijuana industry will become a monopoly under the new law, likening it to behavior of the tobacco industry. Prop 207 allows all current medical dispensaries to apply to the Arizona Department of Health Services for a recreational license, starting in January. AZDHS also can award 26 new “social equity licenses’’ in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. Although AZDHS has until April to set the rules for such licenses, many people in the marijuana industry believe those licenses will go to minority communities, based upon arrest statistics and other metrics. Beyond the creation of instant “marSee

MARIJUANA on page 18

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MARIJUANA

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

from page 16

ijuana millionaires’’ through the awarding of these new licenses, thousands of past felony convictions for possession of small quantities of marijuana could be expunged from defendants’ records under Prop 207. The first step in this potentially life-changing process is already underway. Maricopa County prosecutors already are dropping charges on pending cases related to possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Mesa prosecutors also are dropping related charges of possession of drug paraphernalia if they are related to marijuana possession cases filed in Superior Court. “Instead of continuing to spend resources on these cases, this office will begin implementing the will of the voters immediately. We are instructing deputy county attorneys to file a motion to dismiss any charge covered by Proposition 207,’’ said Jennifer Liewer, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. “If those charges make up the entirety of the charges of the case, the entire case will be dismissed. If there are other felony charges the case will remain pending, but we will file motions to dismiss the charges covered by Proposition 207,’’ she said. Dean said he anticipates a second wave of defendants with convictions for possession of 2 ½ ounces or less will petition in July for expungements. He is working with the Arizona Canna-

Prop 207 had drawn opposition and and support during the campaign but opponents failed to stop overwhelming approval of the measure legalizing the sale of recreation marijuana. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

bis Bar Association to set up a nonprofit that will file the petitions for free. “If it’s pending, you get it dismissed. If it’s over, you get it expunged. But what about the people in the middle?’’ he said. Gray areas affecting defendants serving time in prison or who are on probation will probably end up being litigated in court, Dean. He said the potential pool of de-

cent brain and that parents will need to communicate with their children about the new law. But Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, said he ended up endorsing the law for it’s potential in helping people get better jobs and live healthier lives. “To me, the existing marijuana law caused more public health damage than the drug,’’ he said.

fendants who can improve their job prospects by getting felony records expunged is enormous, State Department of Public Safety records list about 15,000 to 18,000 marijuana possession arrests a year since 2006 and numerous other defendants merely being cited for a violation. Will Humble, the former director of AZDHS, said there’s no doubt marijuana hinders the development of the adoles-

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

REGAL

from page 12

a lot of walk-ins that we had came because of the movies because they saw our sign in the area,” Lukacik said. Lukacik reported that about 22 percent of his escape room guests came in because of the theater. “You definitely see less traffic,” Decker said. Now, according to Chef W, Christ Church is the only establishment that brings in fresh crowds regularly since the theater closed. The church holds Services Sunday mornings and remains open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Pam DePalma, co-owner of Not Your Typical Deli, said that before the theater closed, the business’ hours were scheduled alongside that of the theaters. With the theater gone, Not Your Typical Deli has had to change hours to accommodate for lack of traffic. “It’s been bad. And even worse since the movie theater closed. We had to change our hours,” DePalma said. Lack of customer traffic due to the closure of Regal Gilbert and the ongoing pandemic has left business owners with no choice but to adjust to customer needs. Businesses are offering new delivery services, seasonal coupons and trying methods to become more accessible to customers. The International Room Escape AZ is offering a 15 percent discount for the holiday season. “We got a canning machine,” Decker said, explaining that Desert Monks Brewing’s machine can meet higher demands for to-go orders. “We have evolved in many ways. We are in the process of acquiring a food truck,” Chef W. said, adding that he is

Above, Chef W of Not Your Typical Deli, seen here with several town officials when it opened in 2018, is concerned about the Regal Gilbert’s closure - as is the owner of nearby International Room Escape AZ (Special to SanTan Sun News)

trying to make Not Your Typical Deli more accessible to customers. When things change for Regal or any other multiplex is hard to say. In announcing its nationwide closure – which put 40,000 employees out of a job – Cineworld said, “We have done to date, we will do everything we can to save livelihoods and the company – this is an extremely delicate and tricky balance. We continue to work with the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), to ensure we are lobbying state and local governments to support our employees and the industry which has so much cultural significance.” The world’s largest movie chain, AMC, and Harkins Theaters are offering theaters for private showings, but new movies are still far and in between.

According to the Variety Magazine, John Fithian, head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, said that unless Congress passes the Save Our Stages Act – a bipartisan push to support decimated concert venues and theaters – “probably around 70 percent

of our mid- and smallsized members will either confront bankruptcy reorganization or the likelihood of going out of business entirely by sometime in January.” The Wall Street Journal reported that some multiplex owners are wondering whether to convert their buildings, although most are “poor candidates for adaptive reuse,” Bloomberg reported. Some are simply being torn down – as was, ironically, a Regal theater in South Carolina. A theater in Goodyear was turned into a group of medical offices while the Arizona Department of Transportation now has offices in a theater in Flagstaff, Bloomberg reported. Cineworld said in its announcement said that “once film studios are able to bring their pipeline of major movie releases back to the big screen” things would change, although it alluded to the “extremely delicate and tricky balance” it faces in operating theaters in the pandemic. DePalma said the only hope of increasing traffic to Gilbert Town Square again would be if Regal Theater reopens soon – or someone else takes over. “The only hope would be if somebody bought the theater out,” DePalma said.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

The USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River are laid out along the lines of the exact footprint of the ship, which sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Columns are installed, as shown on the right, to represent each sailor who died in the attack. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Pearl Harbor attack to be commemorate tomorrow SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Honoring the loss of over 2,400 people who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will be commemorated tomorrow, Dec. 7, at the USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River. Though events this year are going to be different than originally envisioned, THE Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community will host an event at the USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River and invites the public to join virtually and to join the live streaming of the Pearl Harbor ceremony in Hawaii immediately thereafter. Both events will be live-streamed at memorialgardensatsaltriver.com and will include a 9 a.m. ceremony at the

Salt River Indian Community, including a flag breathing ceremony, taps and a 21-gun salute. At 10 a.m. the Hawaii remembrance titled “Above and Beyond the Call” will focus on the surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Of the 2,400 servicemen and women killed, 1,177 were from the USS Arizona; 68 civilians also died. Hundreds of aircraft were damaged or destroyed, as were most of the ships in the harbor. It was an unprecedented surprise attack that precipitated the United States entry into WWII as the U.S. sided with the allies and declared war on Japan. The USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River is located on tribal land and was built by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to honor the

brave individuals that sacrificed so much. The gardens span the exact length and width of the USS Arizona with over 1,500 commemorative columns, outlining the actual perimeter of the USS Arizona. Each column is representative of a life aboard the ship that day. In addition, there are gaps within the column outline representing an individual who survived the attack. As the day ends, each column illuminates, transforming the memorial at night representing each individual as a light that will continue to go on and stand through the test of time. Open daily from dawn until dusk, the Gardens are free to the public. Located in the Talking Stick Entertainment District at 7455 North Pima Rd, between Salt River Fields at Talking Stick and

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The relic room will reopen to the public for visitation on Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those interested in learning more can also stop by the Discover Salt River Visitor Center located at 9120 East Talking Stick Way, Suite E-10, in the Pavilions at Talking Stick shopping center. The visitor center is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) is home to two distinct Native American tribes; the Akimel O’odham (River People), more commonly known as the Pima and the Xalychidom Piipaash (People Who Live Toward the Water) known to many as the Maricopa.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Tamarisk trees threaten riparian wildlife BY ALLI CRIPE Contributor

Tamarisk trees, also known as the salt cedars, are taking root along may rivers in the southwest and devastating riparian wildlife. Although the flowering evergreen looks harmless, it is considered an invasive plant species. “What we’re trying to do is educate people about how it can grow,” said Rusty Lloyd, executive director of RiversEdge West. “It can impact the water quantity just based on its growth form.” All riparian trees require massive amounts of water, Lloyd said, but tamarisk roots suck cottonwoods and willows dry and can lead to the extinction of native plant species, which in turn can result in the extinction of wildlife. RiversEdge West, formerly known as the Tamarisk Coalition, is a a nonprofit that works to educate, remove and manage invasive plant species from Kansas to California. Founded in 1999, the organization teamed with the Bureau of Land Management and dozens of private landowners to create the Dolores River Restoration Partnership in 2018 and removed 31 acres of tamarisk stands in southwestern Colorado and eastern Utah. They revegetated 35 acres by seeding and planting native trees and re-sprouted 94 acres of treated tamarisks. Plant removal and replacement is important because tamarisks were never meant for the Southwest, Lloyd said. Because of their beautiful pink and purple flowers, the trees were brought into the United States during the 1800’s for “ornamental purposes.” Lloyd said the dam building projects during the 1940s and 50s allowed them to strengthen and grow. “It changed the hydrology of a lot of our rivers and allowed the tamarisk to take hold,” he said. Many states and companies work with RiversEdge West, including Salt River Project. SRP Supervisor of Vegetation Maintenance and Management Matt Goodnight said full removal of this pesky plant is a chore. “If you cut down a tamarisk and don’t apply any type of growth inhi-

They may look pretty, but tamarisk trees are deadly for riparian wildlife and are gaining too big a foothold in Arizona, experts say. (File photo)

bition, such as stump treatment of herbicide,” said Goodnight, “they’re going to grow right back and where you had a single stem is gonna grow back with multiple stems – could be six to eight – and shoot right back into the power lines.” Goodnight described the trees as “dominant.” He cited an incident from “a number of years ago” near Thomas and 64th Street on the border of Scottsdale and Phoenix, where SRP had to intervene to prevent a possible flood. A canal on those cross streets became swamped with salt cedars so the City of Scottsdale created a maintenance agreement with SRP. “We would have to go out and prune them annually because they were providing shade for a bike trail,” said Goodnight. Roots started to grow into the canal, compromising the security of the bank.

The Bureau of Reclamation stepped in, said Goodnight, encouraging the removal of all trees which took SRP eight crews and several weeks. “If something were to happen to that canal bank,” said Goodnight. “It could potentially flood a lot of homes that were west of the canal.” Kelly Kessler, wildlife biologist at the Tonto National Forest said tamarisks are most densely clustered in dammed areas. “Risks to wildlife include an increased potential for wildfire,” she added in an email response. “Flammability increases with the build-up of dead and senescent woody material.” This year, a fire in the Tonto National Forest devastated almost 3,000 acres and invasive grass species that “grew like gangbusters due to a wet winter” contributed to the flames, said Taiga Rohrer, Tonto’s fire staff officer. However, a clump of tamarisks

around a recreational area could be detrimental, Rohrer said. The tamarisk is incredibly adaptive to fire, Lloyd said, explaining that it can burn, survive and thrive by regrowing stronger. “It could exacerbate some of the effects of climate change already happening on some of our Western river systems,” said Lloyd. Previous scientific modeling hints that a million acres are covered by tamarisk which take years to fully uproot and replace, said Lloyd. However, Lloyd and Kessler agreed that because of constant growth, a number is impossible to calculate. RiverEdge West continues to work on river health issues with several areas of interest including research, education and wildlife. Information: riversedgewest.org/ get-involved/donate.

Make a Difference in Someone’s Christmas this Year! My Sisters’ Place, a Domestic Violence Shelter in Chandler, is seeking Christmas Donations for the women and children living in shelter.

November 25th - December 21, 2020

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we have moved our donations online to Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3T9ZJCZ3VUJ73?ref_=wl_share

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Around Chandler City seeks proposals for empty downtown site The City of Chandler is requesting proposals from qualified individuals for the redevelopment of a vacant site at 51 E. Boston St., between Arizona Avenue and Washington Street and nestled between SoHo63 and Inchin’s Bamboo Garden. The project site is 3,000 square feet, with just under 2,000 square feet of interior space and an outdoor patio. The current zoning allows for retail, restaurant and entertainment uses. “The City’s desire is to identify a team that has vision, experience and the financial strength and capacity to transform this property to deliver significant, tangible and measurable social, cultural and economic impact to the city and the community,” Chandler officials said in a release, adding it hopes in the long run to sell the building. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. Jan. 11. There also will be a pre-proposal conference meeting at 3 p.m. Dec. 17 at Chandler City Hall, 175 S. Arizona Ave., third floor, large conference room. Immediately following the meeting, there will be a site tour and walk of the general vicinity. Information: Christina Pryor, Purchasing and Materials Manager, at 480-782-2403 or christina.pryor@ chandleraz.gov. The RFP is at chandleraz.gov/RFP.

Friends of Chandler Library reopens their bookstores

The Friends Bookshops have reopened, with all purchases supporting programs and services at Chandler Public Library. Located at the downtown branch at 22 S. Delaware St. and Sunset Library at 4930 W. Ray Road, the stores offer used books for $1-$3 with “Two for Tuesday” sales. Friends of the Chandler Public Library, a volunteer-driven nonprofit, encourages Chandler residents to “Shop Local” and keep more money in the local economy. The group’s Amazon Marketplace is at amazon.com/shops/chandlerlibrary and their eBay site is stores.ebay.com/ friendsofchandlerpubliclibrary. While the discounts are available at the Chandler Downtown and Sunset Library Bookshop locations, they are not available online. Information: chandlerlibrary.org/ friends or 480-782-2800.

Chandler Police get $232K in highway safety grants The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has awarded more than $232,000 in grants to Chandler Police. The Traffic Section was allotted $24,070 to fund civilian motorcycle training courses with corresponding equipment and supplies and $40,000 to enforce Arizona’s seat belt and child safety seat laws. It also received $40,000 for pedestrian and bicycle

safety overtime associated with the campaigns to raise awareness through education and enforcement. The DUI Unit will use $93,440 to fund officer overtime to work DUI enforcement during select times of the year and $35,000 for the Know Your Limit non-enforcement, education program. Money will also fund blood and preliminary breath test supplies. ‘On the Street’ program

expands businesses’ options

Chandler has launched a program that allows businesses to expand their premises into on-street parking. ‘On the Street’ was created to assist businesses who have been faced with indoor capacity restrictions due to the pandemic. The program also gives patrons the option to continue supporting their favorite local establishments safely outdoors. For now, the program will operate through May 31. Mayor Kevin Hartke said the program “allows businesses to offer an outdoor experience for our community that’s not quite comfortable with indoor activities.” The Brickyard downtown is the first business approved to offer on-street dining. ‘On the Street’ is not limited to only restaurants or downtown. Information: chandleraz.gov/OnTheStreet, city Redevelopment Specialist John Owens at 480-782-3047 or john.owens@chandleraz.gov.

Golf for tykes event next month at McQueen Park The Junior Golf Association of Arizona is taking reservations now for its annual Itty Bitty Open on Jan. 16 in Chandler and other nearby communities. The free event is for kids 3-5 years old with clinics at each location at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. where they and their parents will learn the basics skills of golf taught by qualified PGA and LPGA professionals. After the clinics, the kids will then participate in fun-filled, non-competitive golf games and tournaments. Each golfer will receive a set of plastic golf clubs (right-handed only), balls, a bag and a visor. Participants are asked to leave their own clubs at home. An adult “caddie” must accompany each golfer. A special contest with prizes will be held at each session for the “Best Dressed Golfer and Caddie Team.” Anything goes: classic golf fashion; contemporary golf fashion; or any unique golf duds that may come to mind. All winners will receive a trophy. Space is limited, sign up before Jan. 11. Information: 602-944-6168. Register at jgaa.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/jgaa20/ seminar/board/index.htm? Sites include: Espee Park, 450 E. Knox Road, Chandler; McQueen Park, 510 N. Horne St., Gilbert; Jefferson Park, 306 S. Jefferson Ave., Mesa; and Pecos Park, 17010 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chandler apparel company launches foundation SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

State Forty Eight in Chandler has prided itself on selling pride. Founders-owners Stephen and Nick Polando and Mike Spangenberg explain on their website that their apparel “represents a lifestyle, a sense of community and is an expression of pride” that they are all about “redefining the status-quo and inspiring others to rise up and stand for something they believe.” So it’s not surprising that the sevenyear-old firm is launching a foundation this month, starting with a virtual fundraiser Dec. 10. “It has always been the prerogative of State Forty Eight to do good by empowering others to do good,” the company said in a release, noting its past and current partnerships with local organizations and causes. Those alliances have “always been at the forefront of their business model,” it said, adding that State Forty Eight has donated more than $100,000 in cash See

In creating a foundation, State Forty Eight is hoping to create more community efforts like the event it sponsored in 2019, enlisting 250 volunteers to pack emergency food bags for United Food Bank to give to needy families.

STATE48 on page 31 (State Forty Eight)

Acquisitions make Landsea state’s top homebuilder BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

Landsea Homes has found a home in Arizona. Landsea Homes has established its division office at Scottsdale Airpark and by the end of this year, the company is expected to deliver 1,000 homes in Arizona – many of them in south Chandler. “We went from zero to a thousand plus in just two years,” said Greg Balen, the Arizona Division president. “It’s been organic growth. We initially set up a team here to look for a project but that quickly evolved into realizing the value of having an even greater presence in this market. “Over the last two years, we’ve acquired two home-building companies, Pinnacle West Homes and Garrett Walker Homes.” Landsea Homes also recently announced plans to become a public company in the fourth quarter of 2020, and will be Nasdaq-listed under the new ticker symbols “LSEA,” “LSEAW” and “LSEAU,” respectively. Founded in 2013, Landsea Homes is a Newport Beach, California-based homebuilder of high-performance homes and sustainable master-planned communities in major U.S. markets such as southern and northern California, Arizona, Boston and New York. In Arizona, Landsea offers single-family, detached homes – one and two story – in Buckeye, Chandler, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Surprise and Tolleson.

“Our team in Arizona consists of high-quality people with market expertise who understand the value of providing best in class homes and unmatched, outstanding customer service throughout the valley,” he said. “Our strategic focus continues to be creating communities in highly desirable markets across the United States, and Arizona fits that criteria. “We really believe in this market. It’s a great place to live. With a robust local economy and continued job growth, the area is attracting new residents, and providing opportunities for current homeowners to expand to accommodate their growing families.” Balen said Landsea Homes is appealing to first-time buyers, in particular the Garrett Walker Collection, which offers affordable new homes in convenient locations with the quality of a trusted and established homebuilder. “We’re able to offer high-quality homes at attainable price points,” he said. “It’s very compelling for someone who’s currently renting to buy a home. “We do a lot of research to understand our customers, and exactly what works well for them. That is very important as we can devote resources to things they want, as opposed to things we think they should want. “Our homebuyers have their included options and then they can choose upgraded carpet, countertops, and personalize the home to suit their needs.” Earlier this year, Landsea Homes launched its Performance Collection, See

LANDSEA on page 31

Greg Balen, left, is president of Landsea Homes’ Arizona Division and Todd Condon is vice president of sales and marketing. (Landsea Homes)

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Former addict starts ‘recovery’ clothing brand BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

A recovering opioid addict in Chandler has opened a new clothing line of shirts intended to help other addicts feel less ashamed about themselves. Kyle Stark, who’s been sober for nearly five years, has recently designed a line of clothing that expresses a sense of empowerment – something Stark wants everyone who’s fallen victim to substance abuse to achieve. With slogans like “Power Over Pills” and “Changed Man,” Stark’s new brand of shirts gives a voice to the many Americans who have been impacted by the country’s deadly opioid epidemic that claims thousands of lives each year. “I’m trying to create a community where you have a bunch of active addicts that are helping support each other and helping people get clean,” he said. The new business venture is part of a bigger goal Stark hopes to accomplish: opening his own drug treatment center within the next five years. Until he completes that goal, Stark is reaching out to as many addicts as possible through social media and sharing his story of overcoming a crippling addiction to prescription painkillers. “I have this burning desire to build this platform where people can just come to without judgement, without feeling embarrassment,” he said.

the world who were touched by his story of recovery. There are so many stories of people living in shame and secrecy with their problems, Stark noted, and they don’t know where to turn. Over the last year, Stark’s been looking for more ways to spread an uplifting message that could lessen the societal stigma attached to addicts Stark had previously operated a clothing line of mainly fitness wear and thought he could retool it to represent the ideals he’s currently trying to espouse. “It’s a very cool thing to be Kyle Stark of Chandler hopes his new line of shirts will empower former addicts while he raises able bring this thing back and money to open a treatment center. (Special to SanTan Sun News) bring it back in a new way with a positive message behind it,” than 47,000 Americans had died from Stark got hooked on pills several he said. opioid-related overdoses. Less than a years ago after a doctor prescribed him Stark hopes the shirts will attract decade earlier, the country had fewer Oxycontin to cure a sports injury. some more attention to the long-term than 10,000 opioid deaths. Stark eventually started medicating project he’d like to achieve of providing The rising fatality rates have prompthimself with up to 12 painkillers a day a safe place for addicts to seek treated Stark to stop the epidemic from and did his best to hide his daily habit ment. getting worse and do whatever he can from friends and family. “We’re turning it into a recovery brand to prevent anyone from becoming adBut a staged intervention in 2016 to help fund some of the stuff we’re dicted to pills. forced Stark to confront his addiction trying to do,” he said. “Right now, we “I have so much anger and frustraand motivated him to stop taking pills. need to reach every single person we can tion,” Stark said. “It’s a deep-seeded He considers himself one of the because there’s a lot of people dying.” hatred for opioids.” lucky ones who managed to break free More information about the clothStark opened up publicly about his before the addiction claimed his life. ing line can be found on poweroverpills. addiction last year and has been conIn 2017, the Centers for Disease com or Stark’s Instagram account @ tacted by fellow addicts from around Control and Prevention reported more iﬁghtlifestyle.

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BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

New electric bike store targets EV SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Just in time for gift-giving – and visiting relatives who might need outdoor fun – comes Michael Curtin, who opened a Pedego Electric Bike store in Gilbert recently. The Gilbert resident owns a staffing business in New York’s commercial real estate industry, but decided to open the store at 459 N. Gilbert Road after the pandemic caused a downturn in his business. Besides, his brother owns a Pedego store in Cape May, New Jersey, and he liked the product. “Pedego seemed like the perfect new business for me to go into and once I found the location for my store in Gilbert, it was an absolute no-brainer,” he said. “I knew this was going to be a great opportunity.” The store, the third and the first in the East Valley, sells and rents Pedego bikes as well as services them and sells See

STATE48

BIKES on page 33

from page 29

and in-kind services to local charities. In 2019, State Forty Eight began an initiative called Community Impact, which was dedicated to “community outreach, engagement and connected the State Forty Eight fan base with local causes, events, or volunteer opportunities.” “Upon seeing the incredible support that we received for our Community Impact efforts, we were inspired to initiate our very own 501c3,” said CEO Michael Spangenberg. “We are excited to increase our footprint in Arizona through the work we do in the foundation.” The company‘s blog explained that it wanted to “inspire actionable giving that will contribute to wellbeing of our

LANDSEA

from page 29

which offers High Performance Home features in select communities in Arizona and California. The features consist of three core pillars including home automation, sustainability and energy savings, which gives homebuyers connected living at their fingertips, providing ease, security and privacy. “Sustainability is a defining characteristic for Landsea Homes and the company’s deep respect for the shared environment of the communities created are reflected in every Landsea High Performance Home,” Balen said. “We take great pride in delivering responsibly designed homes with the highest standards in sustainable building technology so that every detail creates a healthy living environment and enhances the lives of our residents.” Balen adds that the insulation makes the homes more comfortable and less

Michael Curtin has opened a Pedego Electric Bike store in Gilbert, where he sells, rents and services the popular bikes and sells accessories. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

community and create a platform for local organizations to be seen, heard and supported. “We were blown away by the support,” it added. “In our first year, we managed to draw out more than 250 volunteers and donate more than $21,000 to local charities and nonprofit organizations.” The State Forty Eight Foundation defines its mission by saying it intends “to enrich and strengthen Arizona through thoughtful partnerships, inspired community action, and investment in the changemakers of tomorrow.” It envisions listing community support “to launch and build out programming, such as volunteer events, youth mentorship and entrepreneur development, that will benefit Arizonans for years to come.”

“Through fundraising efforts and volunteer-driven events, we aim to be a catalyst for change and unification across Arizona by bringing together nonprofit organizations, public agencies, businesses, and individuals with common goals and hopeful resolutions for the community,” the company said in a blog, which continued: “Through mentorship, workshops, and with the help of our community partners, we offer supportive programming for Arizona youth that teaches them valuable and practical life skills, but also promotes a positive self-esteem and strong leadership skills. The fundraiser 6-8 p.m. Dec. 10 will be hosted by author and foundation Director Zach Hall and Cardinals team reporter Lisa Matthews and promises “inspiring conversations with four

Arizona leaders and community movers and shakers. Guest speakers include: Debbie Castaldo, Diamondbacks leader of corporate and community impact; Thomas Barr, executive director of Local First Arizona; Jake Arians, son of NFL Coach Bruce Arians and president of the Arians Family Foundation; and Lady La, TV personality and founder of Mahalo Made. With the purchase of a ticket to the fundraiser, guests are automatically eligible for door prizes that include a custom State Forty Eight WestCoast Scooter, a flat screen TV and other prizes. Tickets are $20 and available for purchase via Eventbrite.com. Donations can be made to StateFortyEightFoundation.org. Information: statefortyeight.com.

susceptible to the hostile environment in Arizona. For sustainability, the company has much lower waste factors than the industry average. “The job sites are safer because there’s less extra material lying around before it gets disposed of,” Balen said. “It’s smart. We’re always trying to do a better job that way.” All of Landsea’s High Performance Homes are supported by a partnership with leading technology company Apple and utilize the Apple HomeKit environment to operate all home automation features from one mobile application. The smart home automation features, installed and compatible with Apple HomeKit include an Apple TV media manager device, MeshNet wireless internet throughout the home, entry door locks, thermostat control, garage door opener control, light dimmer switches, doorbell camera pre-wire, and high-touch customer service with an individualized training session from an expert who ensures that all applications are working properly.

“Today’s homebuyers seek a balanced life through technology, the ability to stay connected, and the option to be in control all while maintaining a high level of privacy and security. Our High Performance Homes and the partnership with Apple provide the features and conveniences people have come to expect,” he adds. To further its sustainability mindset, Landsea Homes includes various features that contribute to healthy living, including appliances that reduce energy waste and tankless water heaters that generate hot water faster. Landsea Homes also offers the option to install the REME HALO air purifier in homes across Arizona, which mitigates indoor contaminants to keep residents safe and support healthy living. With each High Performance Home, the homebuyer is provided with enhanced roof insulation, wall insulation and floor insulation, more efficient mechanical systems, Energy Star-rated appliances and LED lighting. The costin-use features lower monthly bills and

encourage environmental awareness and stewardship. “On day one, a homebuyer can come in and live in a functioning smart home that they can augment with other products and tailor to their lifestyle,” Balen said. “Our tagline is ‘Live In Your Element’ and that’s what we want our customers to be able to do on a daily basis.” Landsea Homes plans to continue to grow and expand in Arizona, and retain their foothold as one of the largest homebuilders in the state. In September, the company acquired 476 finished single-family home sites at Sunrise Ranch in Surprise. “We’re aggressively seeking opportunity in Arizona and other markets,” Balen said. “Our focus is always on overall lifestyle and allowing our customers to live their best life in that market. “At the end of the day, we do a really good job of understanding our customers and creating opportunities for them to thrive in their homes—perhaps the most important purchase decision they make.” Info: landseahomes.com

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Quartet’s ‘escape bus’ no puzzle to fans BY CECILIA CHAN Managing Editor

Dain Knudson and his friends are bringing brain-teasing entertainment right to people’s doorsteps. The Gilbert man and his group have created BrakeOut Arizona, an escape room game inside the hull of a former school bus where participants use their skills to figure out puzzles, riddles and clues to break out of a locked room within a given time frame. “We built this experience for success,” Knudson said. “Entertainment comes down to people feeling validated and they feel successful at the end of the day.” Knudson is the co-owner of 5 Gents Events and handles sales, social media outreach and marketing. The other East Valley co-owners are Dan Knudson, chief experience designer. architect and business logistics; Curt Easton, experience designer and maintenance; Burke Nichols, experience designer and maintenance; Isaac Sneed, engineer and games master and Jared Brimhall, financier and business logistics. All the men hold jobs outside of this side passion –two work in banking, one in construction, one is an engineering student at Arizona State University and one is going back to school for a business degree. Knudson himself works in sales in the semiconductor industry. “Our group has in the past put

BrakeOut Arizona partners include, from left, Dan Knudsen, Dain Knudson, Burke Nichols and Curt Easton. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

together these experiences and really enjoyed the thrill of them,” Knudson said. “We like challenging people’s critical thinking and letting people think creatively.” The first event the group ever did was CacheDashe, where people in

an adventure race around the Valley deciphered clues as they hunted for a buried box of money. But, Knudson said the group always had in the back of their minds to do a mobile escape room that delved into the narrative and in January they acted

on it. At an auction sale they purchased a retired Gilbert Public Schools bus for $2,250. “We were lucky to have it run super See

BREAKOUT on page 33

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BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

BREAKOUT

from page 32

well right off the bat,” Knudson said. They ripped out all the seats and rehabbed the bus with some paid professional help along the way – all for just under $10,000, including the bus purchase. Knudson said there are other mobile escape rooms but they are out of trailers and he was sure they are the first to have it in a bus west of the Mississippi. Before launching the new venture, the group invited members of the public to test it. “Having the test groups was super important for us,” Knudson said. “From our perspective we created (the puzzles) and know how everything is done and we needed from the public how their mind approached it.” He said there were elements the public liked that the group didn’t initially appreciate – such as having audio feedback when a puzzle was solved to let players know to move on. So, the group put in a white board with red and green lights. When a puzzle is unsolved it’s red and when solved, it turns green and makes a dinging noise. The group finally took their mobile entertainment on the road in September. They’ve taken the bus to private events like birthday parties and dropped in at the Queen Creek Feastival and the Gilbert Feastival. “We’ve had groups of teachers do it on their own time as a team-building

BIKES

experience,” said Knudson, adding all safety precautions are taken such as sanitizing the bus after each use. Most of the bookings so far have been in the East Valley but the company is getting interest for the bus from Prescott and Florence. BrakeOut Arizona has several options for booking, including an enhanced experience that lasts an hour and an express experience that lasts 20 minutes with varying pricing. So far, one group has broken the record for the 20-minute experience and escaped the bus in 12 minutes and 30 seconds. “One of the boys in the group just had a unique experience that fitted the room well,” Knudson said. “We were really impressed with them.” Knudson said the success rate for completing the escape room is between 30 and 40 percent. “It’s challenging and without hints and without clues, going into it can be very difficult,” he said. Knudson said the company is focusing on weekend events but is flexible to bring the bus out during weekdays and can tailor the experience for bookings. Escape rooms are largely pitched as team building exercises for corporations but this year due to the pandemic, many have their employees working remotely. The first escape opened in 2007 and today there are over 2,250 such facilities in the country and holding steady, according to Room Escape Artist, which tracks the industry. Although many escape rooms are

The interior of the BrakeOut Arizona bus has been converted into a giant game room where players try to solve puzzles to get out of the vehicle. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

temporarily closed due to COVID-19, they are better positioned to operate in the coming months than many other forms of entertainment such as movie theaters, theaters, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and amusement parks that require large crowds to turn a profit, according to Room Escape Artist. Knudson said the company’s future plan is to expand its mobile entertainment. “We would like down the road to buy

more buses and have a fleet of buses anywhere in the Valley at any time with different themes and puzzles,” he said. “We have a goal of expanding offerings over the next several years and also not just doing escape but other mobile entertainment as well.” To book and to learn more about BrakeOut Arizona, go to brakeoutaz. com, facebook.com/brakeoutaz or instagram.com/brakeoutaz.

from page 31

accessories. With a top speed of 20 mph, Pedego bikes come in a wide variety of 20 models and sizes, with pricing starting at around $1,500. The bikes’ ranges of travel before the lithium battery needs to be charged varies from 15-30 miles for the smallest size to 34-68 miles for the largest. “Generally speaking, any Pedego battery should last longer than you want to ride,” Pedego states on its website. “Your fanny will probably quit long before your battery does.” Founded in 2008 and now with around 120 locations across the country, the company has won kudos for its customer service and the bikes themselves have some famous fans, including Martha Stewart and Star Trek icon William Shatner. Though he had a soft opening in October, Curtin had his grand opening last week that included a surprise visit from some of the corporation’s top executives. Pedego Gilbert also is celebrating the grand opening by offering raffle tickets for $20 through Dec. 15 – or until 500 tickets are sold – for a chance to win a Pedego Comfort Cruiser. That’s the granddaddy of Pedego’s product line, valued at around $2,000. The company describes it as weighing “less than a house cat” with a range of about 45 miles “for 10 cents of electricity” before it needs recharging. Proceeds from the raffle will be split

Celebrating the grand opening of the new Pedego Electric Bikes store in Gilbert last week were, from left, owner Michael Curtin, Cassidy Castleman, Cynthia Newcomb and Pedego founder/CEO Don DiCostanco. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

among three food banks. Curtin said he went into the business after meeting Pedego founder/CEO Don DiConstanzo about the electric bike industry. “Our goal is to locate our stores in areas that are bike-friendly and easily accessible to cyclists,” DiCostanzo said. “When Michael came to us with this location we knew it was going to be a success-- his hard work and dedication from the beginning was something we

were honored to invest in.” A onetime marathon runner, Curtin said he’s admired Pedego bikes since he first rode one in New Jersey. A few years ago, he had to quit running due to an injury and he said a regular bike never interested him. “An electric bike gives me the perfect combination of thrill and adrenaline,” he said. “I get the same rush I did when I was running.” Besides, he added, “There is some-

thing to be said about customers coming back from their first ride on a Pedego… they really do come back with a smile.” He said his goal is to make sure anyone who stops by his store gets the same rush. The store is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and Monday by appointment only. Information: mike@pedegogilbert. com or call 602-793-1175.

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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As I write this article, it looks more likely that Joe Biden will become the next U.S. President. If the Democrats win the runoff for the two Senate seats in Georgia, they will control the Senate, House and the Presidency. If so, nothing will stop the proposed new Biden Tax Plan. Federal tax rates will certainly increase from the current maximum 37 percent to at least 39.6 percent. For those with earned income (wages or net profits from one’s business) over $400,000, they will also be hit with an extra 12.4 percent payroll tax surtax split between employer and employee. However, if you are the business owner, you pay both sides and this brings your total maximum federal marginal tax rate to 39.6 percent + 12.4 percent = 52 percent. For those with incomes over $1 million, taxes on long-term capital gains and dividends will be levied as ordinary income rates of 39.6 percent instead of the current 20 percent. In addition, if court challenges fail to stop the recent Proposition 208, there will be 3.5 percent surtax on single filers whose taxable income exceeds $250,000 (and over $500,000 taxable income for joint filers). That will increase the maximum AZ income tax rate from 4.5 percent to 8 percent. For high-income taxpayers, the new combined federal and AZ maximum tax rate would become 39.60 percent + 12.40 percent + 8 percent = 60 percent. In contrast, the current maximum combined tax rate is 37 percent federal + 4.50 percent AZ = 41.50 percent. That’s a huge total 44.58 percent increase in combined tax rate for folks who earn substantial incomes.

Powerful tax-planning steps to take by Dec. 31:

Defer major deductions from 2020 and take them in 2021, when tax rates would be much higher if the Biden Tax Plan becomes law. This strategy is mainly for business owners who have major control over their business sales and

expenses. Accelerate income that will occur in early 2021 into this month. If you have large bonuses or plan to sell real estate or stock that has large gains, one might want to reflect that taxable gain in the 2020 tax year. The exception is if you work with a sophisticated tax planner who needs all of 2021 to do powerful tax planning. If you own a business, establish your own Solo 401(k) plan before year-end. This Solo 401(k) is limited to those who are either the sole owner or whose spouse works in the business. One does not want to have any non-family W-2 wage employees. In 2020, the maximum annual contribution is $57,000 if the owner is younger than age 50 and $63,500 if the owner is age 50 or over. Of course, you must have at least this much net profit, and normally substantially more in order to contribute the maximum amount. You must remember that you are both the employee and the employer. Just like a normal 401(k), the employee can contribute a maximum of $19,500 in 2020 for those under age 50 and $26,000 if you are age 50 or older. In addition, the employer side of the contribution is limited to either 25 percent of your wages received; or 20 percent of your net self-employment income (business profits less half of your Self-Employment tax). A Solo 401(k) typically costs $500-1,000 to set up if you want a truly third-party administrator that is not trying to sell you Wall Street investments. You must formally elect to make the actual employee deferral contribution by 12/31/20 20 but the actual employee and employer contributions can be made up until your tax return filing due date (4/15/2021), or 10/15/2021 if an extension was filed. Free information on tax savings, retirement planning, and solar business investments can be found at drharoldwong.com or solarbusinessinvestments.com. To schedule your free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com Dr. Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/ radio programs.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Hamilton offensive coach a gladiator, firefighter BY TALIA MASSI

Cronkite News

Mark Tucker never wanted to be just some average kid from Los Angeles. Today, the Hamilton High School offensive line coach has a long list of accomplishments. He is a mentor, role model and protector for many, and embodies the spirit of Hamilton High. He has given much to each and every community that has been a part of his life. To understand Tucker’s extraordinary influence, it’s best to start at the beginning of his extraordinary story. Tucker grew up in a single-parent home with his mom, Merceil, in Los Angeles. They were on public assistance, but his mom worked under-the-table jobs to make ends meet. She would tell him, “I didn’t get my education, but I am going to make sure that you get yours.” Tucker ended up at Banning High School in Wilmington, California. He didn’t want to be just some average kid, so he decided to play football. It turned into an opportunity for him to get a higher education. Banning was a football powerhouse in the 1970s and 80s. Tucker was an offensive lineman and was named to the

Hamilton High School’s Mark Tucker enjoys coaching the school’s offensive lineman. (Photo courtesy Mark Tucker)

All-State Underclass team as a junior and the South Bay Lineman of the Year as a senior.

His persistence and athletic excellence gave him a full-ride scholarship to the University of Southern California,

where he was a four-year starter at offensive guard. He was All Pac-10 as a sophomore and senior, second team as a junior and first team All-American as a senior. USC went 35-12-2 when Tucker was there and went to three Rose Bowls. When Tucker was in college, the go-to major was public administration. He didn’t even know what it meant at the time, but he did know that he wasn’t going to be like everyone else. “I wanted to show that I was just more than a jock, so I majored in political science, because I was on the fence about going to law school,” Tucker said. Tucker eventually wanted to get into entertainment law. But instead of law school, Tucker was drafted in the seventh round by the Atlanta Falcons in See

TUCKER on page 37

Chandler therapy dog part of the pack have gone 59-4, winning four straight championships and are two wins away from their fifth. “He’s not a wolf but he kind of looks like a wolf,” Rick said. “The standard rumor is whenever he comes to a game, we put 50 points on the board, which is pretty much true. He comes to the passing league tournaments and big man challenges, all of those things. The kids, whether they’re high school kids, little kids or the kids in the hospital, they all love him.” Jax was adopted into the Garretson family as a puppy by Wendy and Rick’s son, Darrell, who at the time was the quarterback at Utah State University. Darrell and Wendy went to look at German Shepherd puppies after a game and the two knew right when they saw Jax, he was the one. However, a problem arose later as Darrell’s landlord did not allow dogs in the home. That led to Rick making the 16-hour car ride from the family’s home in the East Valley to Logan, Utah to pick up Jax and bring him to Arizona. “He hasn’t been back to Utah since,” Wendy said. Jax always had a mellow personality and showed patience around young children when they approached to pet

BY ZACH ALVIRA

Sports Editor

After every home game, Chandler head football coach Rick Garretson meets his wife, Wendy, and his kids at the north end zone at Austin Field. It’s there he greets his family and takes the leash of his German Shepherd, Jax, who is a certified therapy dog. The two then walk toward the team huddle where Jax is met with boisterous cheers and many pats and scratches. “The boys love him,” said Wendy, who brought Jax and the Garretson’s other German Shepherd, 2-year-old Gracie, to Chandler’s Thanksgiving morning walkthrough practice. “When they come out, they all notice him right away. And he just feeds off their energy and loves being out here.” Often referred to as “50-point Jax,” he has established himself as a good luck charm of sorts for the Wolves. Wendy first brought him to a Chandler football game when the team was in California playing Corona Centennial. Chandler, already an established powerhouse, scored 49 points in a close loss to the out-of-state power. The nickname, and legend of luck Jax brings to the program, carried on from there. Since that first win, the Wolves

Jax, Chandler head coach Rick Garretson’s certified therapy dog, is part of the pack with the football program, often referred to as “50-point Jax.” (JJ Digos/Contributor)

See

THERAPY on page 38

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

TUCKER

from page 36

1991. During his NFL career, he hopped around from team to team. “I was still able to live a nice, comfortable lifestyle,” he said, adding, “it was kind of unfulfilling because I didn’t attain the goal that I set out to.” He was approached about being on “American Gladiator,” a popular TV show. Tucker appeared in about seven shows. He was excited to be a part of TV history. “It was the most fun I think I have ever had in my life. You know I played football for a long time and I have had some great moments, but that was the most unexpected experience I have ever had in my life,” Tucker said. He moved on to the Arena Football League with the Arizona Rattlers as a player and then a coach. But after all the fame and glory of being a professional athlete and being on TV, Tucker was at a crossroads trying to find his purpose. He was drawn to being a teacher. He started off helping out at a Juvenile Corrections Facility. He became a mentor to at-risk youth at Arizona Boys Ranch. Three years came and went, and Tucker started to develop fatigue from being a mentor to some difficult “students.” He made the switch to teach children in a more positive and motivating environment at Hamilton.

Tucker started out as a substitute, but the demands on teachers increased and the paycheck didn’t. Tucker had to provide for his family, so he became a Phoenix fireman. He loved to work out and the training was very similar to being an athlete. “It’s a natural fit for guys that are athletes. It just further carries on that aspect of your life you lose as an athlete, you pick up as a firefighter,” Tucker said. He was recently promoted to engineer with E11 “C” Shift: “The guy who

Tucker loves Hamilton because he has never felt more accepted by his colleagues and he simply loves being around the kids. He is driven by his ability to shape his players and prepare them for real-world problems and situations. And after more than two decades, Tucker still feels right at home. “It’s the people, it’s the kids, it’s not the building, but it’s everything about this building,” Tucker said. It’s not just the football program

I know for a fact that I have built a solid “ reputation on this side of town being here as a substitute, a football coach, a mentor and an inﬂuence. ”

– Mark Tucker

gets to drive the big red truck,” he joked. He spends 24 hours every third day down at the station. His “team” is his family. “The fire station is like a big locker room. We hang out, we cook together, we work out together,” Tucker added. The longest and most current of all Tucker’s endeavors is being the offensive line coach at Hamilton. He started at the school when it first opened in 1998, and the rest is history. “Coach Tuck is Hamilton football,” coach Mike Zdebski said.

that is successful, but as a whole, the school excels at almost everything they do. The founding principal Fred DePrez had a vision and saw it though. He wanted to develop a school that was the best in both academics and athletics. Everything is held at a very high standard. Hamilton’s football program is central to the school as a whole and has full administration support. DePrez found that “magic formula.” With Hamilton, Tucker has seven

state championships and is looking to grow that collection. He describes his coaching style as “abrasive,” but “you got to love them up once you tear them down.” “He preaches hard work, accountability and responsibility. We are fortunate to have the best line coach in Arizona,” Zdebski said. Despite how long he has been at Hamilton, Tucker has no desire to become a head coach. “A head coach of high school football now … they are not even coaches, they are CEOs … because they are involved in so much of the fundraising and dealing with the booster club. They are managing everything … they oversee the entire program, and to me that would take away what I bring to the table and how I connect to kids,” Tucker said. At Hamilton, Tucker’s offensive line is referred to as Tuck’s Tanks and they are the foundation of what makes Hamilton football great. “I know for a fact that I have built a solid reputation on this side of town being here as a substitute, a football coach, a mentor and an influence,” Tucker added. “As an offensive lineman you are a protector of your quarterback and your running backs and … it branched off into these aspects of my life,” he said. “I guess you can say I like protecting people and the whole thing of protecting people, paying it forward, being a mentor and providing guidance to young people.”

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SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Left: Wendy Garretson, Rick’s wife, put Jax “right”through training to become certified and has since seen him make a difference on the lives of patients and their families in hospitals. She plans to train the couple’s other German Shepherd, Gracie, as well. Right: Both Wendy and Rick said Jax recognizes the bright lights of Austin Field. He joins Rick and the team after every home game, where he is met with pats and scratches from the players. (JJ Digos/Contributor)

THERAPY

from page 36

him. One day while at a training event at Freestone Park in Gilbert, the instructor told Wendy Jax’s personality would make for a great certified therapy dog. After rigorous training, which included several tests and the ability to climb up and down ladders, Jax was certified. It was at that point Wendy began taking him to local hospitals, leading him into rooms of patients who agreed to have him come in. Once inside, Jax bonds with the patient, often standing at their bed side and allowing them to pet him. Wendy said energy Jax gives off when with a patient is calming, and the heart rate

monitors often show them relax in Jax’s presence. He and Wendy will also make stops at the nurse’s station. Just like the patients, nurses and doctors often need the same type of calming energy. Wendy said she also takes Jax into waiting areas of the hospital, where families gather when a loved one is in surgery or the emergency room. “His job is to let the patients, the nurses and doctors and families pull the calming energy from him,” Wendy said. “They can be a bit hesitant at first because they see an 85-pound German Shepherd, but they warm up to him pretty quick.” Part of Jax’s training helps him recognize when certain situations call for a calmer approach to a patient. Wendy and Jax went into a room at a local hospital where a mom, her daughter

and son awaited. The boy, sitting on the floor reading a book, immediately caught Jax’s attention. He got down on all fours and slowly crawled to the boy, head low to the ground and ears pinned back. He then laid his head on the boy’s lap, who proceeded to smile and pet him. “I turned to the mother and I said, ‘I think my dog is sensing something with your son,’” Wendy said. “She told me he was autistic. Jax recognized the boy was autistic and knew not to approach him in the manner he normally would. It’s amazing what he is able to sense.” Whether it be the Chandler football program or patients in the hospital, Jax has been able to make some sort of impact on the lives he comes across. Due to the ongoing COVID-19

EVENTS Nov. 28 | 1-5 p.m. Small Business Saturday Downtown Chandler

Nov. 28 – Jan. 3 Downtown’s Chandler Sugarland Downtown Chandler

Nov. 28 – Jan. 3 Downtown Chandler Holiday Lights Downtown Chandler

Nov. 28-Dec. 22

Dec. 5 – Jan. 3 Lit Tumbleweed Tree Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Dec. 5, 12, 19 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Farmers Market Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Dec. 8 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Give Back Night: Food Drive Collection Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Tumbleweed Tree Pictures

Nov. 29 | 1-5 p.m. Chandler Museum Store Sunday

Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Dec. 1 - 22 Tis the Season for Giving: Food Drive

Downtown Chandler

Dec. 4-20 S’more Holiday Fun

Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Chandler Museum

Various Drop-Off Locations

Chandler Fashion Center

Dec. 5 – Jan. 10 Tumbleweed Tree: A Very Chandler Christmas Chandler Museum

Dec. 5 | 2-8 p.m. Chandler Fire Department Toy Drive Chandler Fashion Center

Dec. 5 | 6 p.m. Tumbleweed Tree Lighting: A Re-Imagined Tradition

Virtual (Social Media & Channel 11)

chandleraz.gov/ChandlerForTheHolidays

pandemic and restrictions set forth by hospitals against visitors, Jax has not been able to make his routes there since March. Wendy said they hope to go back into hospitals and local libraries soon, as long as it is safe. So, for now, Jax will continue making his impact on the Chandler football team. Which means more excitement every Friday when the bright lights of Austin Field come into view. Once the pandemic subsides, Jax will return to comforting those in need the most and making even the slightest difference on their lives. “It feels great because he’s making a difference in the community,” Rick said. “It’s hard getting certified as a therapy dog, but Wendy has done a great job. The kids absolutely love him and I’m glad he can make a difference.”

Dec. 12 | 1-6 p.m. Sippin’ Santa

Dec. 13 | 1-4 p.m. Tumbleweed Tree Pictures Dec. 17 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Give Back Night: Food Drive Collection Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Tumbleweed Tree Pictures Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

Dec. 19 | 7 p.m. Under the Stars - CCA at the Museum: Holly Jolly Christmas Chandler Museum

Dec. 20 | 1-4 p.m. Tumbleweed Tree Pictures Dr. A.J. Chandler Park

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Trying to upside a pandemic upside-down life BY MARJORIE U. CONDER Guest Writer

My life has turned upside-down. It’s not just Covid-19, though it has done its job on my life, depriving me of my friends and the activities that I love. No, it’s me. I’m not the same person I was six months ago. I’ve always been an active person, full of projects to do, places to go, people to see. Now, of course, I have no places to go nor people to see. As a senior citizen, I’m vulnerable to complications if I get the virus, so I’m staying home. This really should be the time to get things done around the house, but all my projects have dwindled off to nothing, for some reason. I just can’t seem to accomplish anything. My closets and cupboards desperately need cleaning out. What better time than now when I can’t go places? However, they’re still full of clutter and reproach me every time I look their way. The hundreds of photos waiting for me to organize are calling me. I’ve tuned them out. The garage. Oh my, you can’t believe the garage. I rationalized that it was too hot to work out there, but it stays in the same state of chaos even though it’s beginning to cool down now. And my husband’s office? I actually had finished cleaning out his big roll-top desk, three years after he died, but now

it has filled up again. Papers that need to be filed. Office supplies that need to find a home. A flashlight that needs batteries. Correspondence that needs to be answered. Notes to myself. So many needs; so little energy. My get-up-and-go has gone. Instead, I’m reading voraciously, watching TV endlessly, doing jigsaw puzzles mindlessly, talking on the phone incessantly and otherwise doing so much nothing that I’m beginning to feel just like an amoeba looks. A shapeless blob. So, what’s a person to do? Of course, I know the answer: Just dig in and accomplish SOMETHING! Knowing the answer does not seem to solve the problem, though. Today is a good example. I didn’t sleep well last night, got late, ate breakfast and dawdled over the newspaper. Suddenly, it was 9 o’clock. Well, I must get moving, I told myself, but as I went into the bedroom to get dressed, the bed invited me back. I have such a great book going. The invitation and the book were irresistible. I crawled in, picked up the book, and the next thing I knew it was 10:30. I finally dragged myself away from temptation, showered, got dressed and thought about all the things I should be doing. Nothing sounded interesting, so I sat down at my computer to get my e-mail. After seeing 97 messages, I answered four or five and deleted the rest. Wonder who’s on Facebook? Spent another hour or so scrolling down, making com-

ments as I went. Now it’s mid-afternoon, and I’ve done nothing productive all day. Something’s got to change. I can’t live the rest of my life like this. So, I turned on the computer and sat down to write about how my life has turned upside-down. Maybe that will give me inspiration. It’s certainly past time to work on some remedies for this lackadaisical attitude. What spurred me into action before the pandemic? What inspired me? What stirred up my energy? Thinking seriously about it, I realized that people are the forces that inspire me. People like the writer friend who is working on her ninth book and makes me want to write again. The bridge partner who makes me laugh and challenges me with bridge problems online. The neighbor who feeds me luscious German treats and tells me about growing up in Germany during WWII. The loving granddaughter who calls frequently to see how I am. The Facebook and e-mail friends who call and send loving messages and funny posts. What’s my problem, then? I still keep in contact with all of these wonderful people, by phone or e-mail or Facebook. Why doesn’t their energy rub off on me? I think I have fallen into a rut. Help, I can’t get up! I suspect that I’m not the only person who is feeling this way right now. We are in the middle of a terrible pandemic, with hundreds of thousands of

people sick and dying, and the numbers are going up again. Those of us who are older and with medical conditions that make us vulnerable to serious complications from the virus are worried. The economy is faltering. Jobs are lost, and people are hurting and going hungry. So, what can I do? How can I pull myself out of this funk? I’ve thought about it a lot lately. Here’s what I have decided: Can I do anything about the pandemic? Not really. I’m not a nurse or doctor or medical expert, but I can stay home to protect myself and others. I can wear a mask, wash my hands thoroughly and social distance on the rare occasions when I do go out. I can urge others to do the same in order that we protect each other. Can I do anything about the economy? No way, but I can shop online and help local businesses. I can help the hungry by donating to food banks and those organizations that help the jobless and homeless. Maybe finding answers, even partial ones, to the events happening in our country and world today will help me feel I have a teeny bit of control in my own life. That might give me the incentive to pull myself up out of the doldrums. Perhaps, in this way, I can upend that life back to its normal position. Not upside down. Upright. East Valley author Marjorie Conder has just published “’Furriners,’ Appalachia.”

Why mental health help is so important BY STANLEY POPOVICH Guest Writer

Getting professional help for dealing with your persistent fears and anxieties is the single most important step in recovery. Many people are reluctant to get the help they need for various reasons. Making excuses for not getting treatment for anxiety issues will not solve anything. Here are a few reasons why getting

help for mental health problems is important: • You will get tips on handling your mental health issues. A professional counselor can provide many ideas on how to manage fears and anxieties. • A counselor will know how to get rid of your fears: A counselor can recommend certain treatments. The only way you will get access to these treatments is if talking to a counselor. Ask your primary care physician if he or she knows anyone that can help.

• You can’t manage your anxieties all by yourself: Anxieties and fears can be extremely difficult to manage. Do not be embarrassed about getting help. We all learn new things from others on a daily basis and getting help will get one’s life back on track. • A professional can help people improve their skill sets in managing mental health. They will become better able to manage anxieties over time and will benefit you later on in life. • Getting help from a counselor will a

lot of suffering in the long run. People will get better a lot faster by talking to a mental health professional. • You will have people in your corner who will be able to help you overcome your mental health issues. You won’t feel as alone when attempting to get rid of your fears. It is best to have people who are helping you to get better. Do not deal with your mental health problems by yourself. Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide To Managing Fear.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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Chandler teacher honored for innovative approach BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Rachna Nath, a biology teacher at Arizona College Prep-Erie, has been named Arizona Technology Council Teacher of the Year. Nath was selected by the council from a group of applicants as the state’s top educator because of her commitment to encouraging students to think innovatively and creatively about their education. Her students have already been recognized for their advanced projects aiming to solve relatable issues involving the environment, technology and health care. They have invented products, marketed them, and attempted to sell them on the open market. Four provisional patents have been obtained by Nath’s science students over the last couple years and two more are pending, she said. Though she is not sure who nominated her for the council’s award, Nath said she’s thankful to be recognized for work that she genuinely enjoys. “That is something that is really fulfilling because you know that someone in the community really appreciates you for what you do for their kids,” she

Rachna Nath said. Nath earned a $1,500 award that she plans to spend on supplies for her students to carry out their future projects. In addition to teaching several science courses, Nath oversees several of Erie’s after-school clubs that allow students to study topics not commonly covered in the standard curriculum like

biophysics, fossils and nutrition. Nath’s research club instructs pupils how to develop entrepreneurial ventures, collect their own data, and apply for grant funding. She said it’s easy motivating her students to come up with innovative ideas once they understand the long-term impact a successful project could have on their professional careers. “I do what I do not for the recognition but to see the kids’ faces when they make something, establish a company, apply for a patent,” Nath said. Nath’s own education journey is a testament to her tenacity and strength of character. After earning a master’s degree in entomology and immigrating to the United States from India, Nath attempted to enroll in a doctoral program to continue her studies. But she struggled to find a program willing to take her on and her career began to flounder. She accepted an adjunct teaching position at Mesa Community College and worked her way into Arizona State University’s honey bee lab by handing out her resume to unsuspecting professors. One of them took a chance and let Nath volunteer her time studying

honey bees in an attempt to potentially earn a doctoral degree. But Nath’s plan was interrupted when her advisor relocated to Germany before she could finish her degree. Not one to feel discouraged, Nath decided to return to teaching by accepting a job at ACP-Erie in 2017. Her life hasn’t been the same since she started teaching in Chandler, she said. The rapport Nath’s developed with her students is extraordinary, she said, and her classroom has become a safe place for students to explore their scientific imagination. “They see me as a person whom they can trust – whom they can carry the torch forward for.” Nath’s innovation journey started a couple of years ago after stumbling upon an email in her spam folder advertising a grant opportunity from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She encouraged her students to consider entering the contest by coming up with a scientific project they were passionate about. Her students didn’t win the grant, but Nath said the experience pushed her to seek out any opportunity she could find that could help her students See

TEACHER on page 42

Chandler drummer picking up the sticks again BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Tommie Bevardos had accepted the fact his days as a professional drummer were over. He thought a stray bullet had ruined his dreams nearly a decade ago after a near-fatal incident in the Arizona desert left Bevardos disabled and unable to pick up his drumsticks. Doctors warned his injury would probably keep him from playing music again. So, Bevardos sold his drum set, got a day job and tried to settle into a quiet domestic life in Chandler. But his wife, Lacey, kept nudging him to reconsider his decision to quit playing music. After much poking and prodding, Bevardos started practicing again earlier this year and rediscovered how his drums could offer him a comforting creative outlet. He’s now determined to get back into the industry he walked away from 10 years ago. But it’s not for the fame and glory, the 47-year-old said, as it is about proving his life won’t be defined solely by a gunshot wound. “I’m not trying to chase rainbows,” Bevardos said. “I want to be able to inspire drummers.” Bevardos is a native of Santa Monica, a city often portrayed as Southern California’s prime destination for beach parties and stunning sunsets.

Tommie Bevardos of Chandler gave up drumming because of injuries sustained in a shooting, but he is now slowly returning to his onetime livelihood and passion. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

But he described his childhood as being anything but glamorous or sanguine. The kids from his rough neighborhood were expected to grow up and become either a drug addict, a dealer or gang member. “I didn’t fit into any of those,” Bevardos said. His mother pushed him to take piano lessons and he struggled to master the hand coordination it required. Bevardos said he was more interested in using his mother’s tupperware

containers and kitchen utensils as a makeshift drum set. By his teen years, Bevardos had committed himself to drumming and played whenever and wherever he could. After high school, he started playing for various bands and touring around the state. He could rotate through different genres – rock, pop or funk – and found himself increasingly in demand throughout the 1990s. Bevardos said he once auditioned for Alanis Morissette during the peak of

her singing career. But she cancelled her tour and Bevardos missed out on what could have been a high-profile job. But he said his career didn’t suffer from the missed opportunity since he continued getting lucrative drumming gigs up through the early 2000s. “You don’t need to be a rock star to make a nice living as a musician,” he noted. By the time he married and had a child, Bevardos decided to take a break from touring and relocated to Arizona. On Dec. 29, 2010, Bevardos had some time to himself and decided to go hiking alone in the Four Peaks Wilderness area up in a remote region of Maricopa County. As he was walking out of a ravine, Bevardos recalled hearing four loud gunshots ring out from a distance. He stumbled back, fell down an embankment and landed on a bed of rocks. His leg felt numb and he noticed a hole in his pants near his upper thigh area. Realizing he’s probably been shot, Bevardos said he quickly used his belt as a tourniquet to tie around his bleeding leg and began crawling back up the embankment. His cellphone service was spotty so he figured his best chance was crawling all the way back to his car. An hour passed by and Bevardos noticed his vision started getting blurry See

DRUMMER on page 42

NEIGHBORS

DRUMMER

from page 41

by the time he reached his car. “Everything started going black,” he said. “I started getting scared because I didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.” A man out walking his dog luckily stumbled upon Bevardos and called the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He was rushed to a Scottsdale hospital and underwent surgery to save his wounded leg. Bevardos said the bullet grazed an artery and passed down his femur until it lodged up against his kneecap. “That’s where it’s parked to this day,” he said, noting that doctors chose not to remove the bullet. Who fired the shot that struck him is still a mystery. He thinks someone in the wilderness fired at him because the bullet in his leg came from a 45 mm gun and Bevardos said the firearm he had with him that day was a 9mm model.

TEACHER

from page 41

win grant funding. Since then, Nath’s been praised by Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke by her ability to push her students to their

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

But the Sheriff’s Office said it appears Bevardos may have accidentally shot himself with his own gun. Sgt. Jason Gilchrist, who works in the agency’s lake patrol division, said the case was ruled an accident based on evidence reviewed by deputies and lack of other 911 calls for a mysterious shooter on the day of the incident. The area where it happened is a popular spot for gun enthusiasts, he added, especially in late December. “We get a lot of target shooting out there,” Gilchrist said. “During that time of the year, there would be a little bit more than right now.” Bevardos further disputes the accident theory because, he said, the bullet entered his leg from an unusual angle that would have been awkward for him to fire the gun himself. Regardless of how it happened, the shooting forced Bevardos to spend weeks relearning how to walk with the assistance of a cane. Since he couldn’t work while in recovery, Bevardos sold his beloved drum

set – valued at about $10,000 – in order to support his family. The music career he had spent years investing in was suddenly gone and Bevardos fell into a deep depression. “I was in a very dark place for quite a while,” he said. He got a job at AutoZone and still struggled to walk without the assistance of a cane. One day, a child came into the store and asked why Bevardos walked “funny.” “That hit me really hard,” he recalled. “I took my cane and I chucked it.” Bevardos went back to physical therapy and improved his strength enough to where he could walk with only a slight limp. Yet, he still didn’t show much interest in trying to play music again. His wife eventually took him to a local music store and forced him to simply go inside and look around. It worked. Bevardos quickly found himself feeling enthused by the sight of all the drums and cymbals.

Over the last year, he has been practicing each day on a small electric drum kit and slowly building his skills back up to where he was 10 years ago. Bevardos said he’d like to get back into a recording studio or drumming on a live stage in the near future. But he realizes that goal may be difficult considering how much the music industry has changed since his heyday in the 1990s. He has tried to adapt to the times by creating an Instagram account and regularly posting videos online of himself drumming. Bevardos is also trying to raise $4,000 from family and friends through crowd-funding sites to buy a better drum set that he hopes could put him on a path back into the business. The response and support he has received so far has been overwhelming, Bevardos said, and his new venture has given him something to be passionate about for the first time since the shooting. “Now it’s like I have something to look forward to,” he said.

greatest potential. Her students have attracted publicity for inventions that can monitor a patient’s body temperature in real time, purify water and boost WiFi signals, among others. Even if a project or invention doesn’t turn out as expected, Nath said she’s

quick to remind her students to never give up and to keep trying. “I feel that I’m just creating people who are not afraid of failure, who are not afraid to make mistakes, who are not afraid to go the extra mile to make their dreams come true,” Nath added.

And despite her successes, Nath said she doesn’t think of herself as doing anything beyond what any other teacher would do for their students. “I consider myself a very normal teacher who just tries to help the kids as much as they want,” she said.

Former Chandler man plans grueling fundraiser SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

To a couch potato, Keith Eckert may seem like a glutton for punishment. The former Chandler resident and 2009 Hamilton High grad has run two 200-mile races where one was 243 miles; four 100-mile races with one finished in 23 hours and 40 minutes; swam 16 miles, which took him nine hours; and has run another 350-mile marathon in the freezing temperatures of Alaska. He doesn’t do it just for fun. Rather, Eckert and three active Navy SEALS are doing this for the SEAL Future Foundation, which helps former SEALS transition to civilian life. And for that cause, he is now training for another Alaskan run that is nearly three times longer than the one he ran earlier this year. He’ll be running in the Iditarod Trail Invitational 1000, the world’s longest running winter ultra-marathon that takes participants through the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness to the famed burled arch in Nome, where the famed dog sled race ends. Participants have 30 days to finish 1,000 miles across some of the world’s most treacherous terrain and brutal conditions, where the weather quickly changes and slams participants from -50F to 35F temperatures, gale force winds, rain, blizzards, waist-deep snow, mud, glare ice and bright sunny skies – often in the same day. Though he is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who joined the highly competitive process of becoming a SEAL, a training accident not only

he stays in touch with numerous friends from his high school days, including Chandler Councilman Matt Orlando. Back when he attended Hamilton, Eckert was on the wrestling team. He and his three SEAL friends have an ambitious goal for the Iditarod Trail Invitational 1000, which will be held next February. Indeed, training seems as exhausting as the actual event, including leg-strengthening exercises and running a minimum 60 miles a week. “The idea is to train only enough to where we do not injure ourself leading up to the race,” he said. He puts his body through such a punishing pace because of his belief in the SEAL Future Foundation. “It’s an outstanding organization that has personally helped a dear friend of mine Former Chandler resident Keith Eckert is preparing for a and former Navy SEAL long walk in the Alaskan wilderness. (Courtesy of Keith Eckert) diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,” Eckert said. disqualified him but ended his Naval “The right cause is one career after three years in 2017. worth fighting and struggling for. This His parents, siblings and nephews all race will no doubt test our physical and live in Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert and mental fortitude. That is why we are

doing it. Who knows, maybe we will inspire others to test their physical and mental limits.” The group has expanded its mission to provide wellness, mental health and family well-being services. “Initially our focus was on scholarships, jobs searches, placement and mentoring,” co-founder Jonathan Wilson says on the group’s website. “We were the destination to ensure SEALs a successful personal and professional transition, but we also wanted to help them live a life of purpose and fulfillment within their communities.” Last year’s Alaskan marathon was grueling, Eckert said. “The weather would drop to -50 at its lowest,” he recalled. “I would walk 35 miles a day dragging my 60-pound sled behind me. It took me 10 days to complete the 350 miles. “The biggest challenge was keeping my drinking water from freezing and eating my frozen solid food. As soon as I finished, I wondered if completing 1000 miles in those conditions was possible, that is what is bringing me back to Alaska.” He figures the 1,000-mile venture will take all 30 days allotted for competitors. “What I will change from last year’s race is have a warmer sleeping bag,” he said. “My old sleeping bag was rated from -20 degrees, so sleeping in it at night was miserable. I will also change how I carried water. Not being able to drink much was terrible.” Eckert is hoping his East Valley friends will help support him. To sign up as a donor: sealff.org/iditarod-trail-invitational.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Pandemic hobby takes off for Sun Lakes woman BY GARY VACIN Guest Writer

Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas State Wildcats. Arizona Cardinals – Sun Lakes resident Diane Haver knows them all. She has painted logos of these and numerous other NFL and college football teams on stones from her back yard. What started out to be a pandemic hobby has become a part-time job as word has spread of her artistic handiwork around the Sun Lakes community. She has completed more than 25 stones for friends and neighbors to date. She recently received an order for six more from a Sun Lakes resident. “I’ve never tried anything like this before,” she said. “I was never really interested in painting, but with the virus shutdown, I had nothing else to do. “So, I started painting everything in my back yard – a weathervane, a fountain, a bench, and other items.” Then she began painting creative designs on small rocks from her back yard before moving on to actual items. She likes hummingbirds, so her next effort was the tiny bird feeding from a red flower on a yellow background. She painted numerous other small stones before moving on to larger ones. The long-time Kansas City Chiefs fan crafted a likeness of Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes on a larger stone

Sun Lakes resident Diane Haver has turned a pandemic hobby into a ﬂourishing parttime job painting logos of professional and college sports teams on stones from her backyard. Here she is shown with two of her specialties: a hummingbird and a logo of her favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photo by Gary Vacin)

and placed it on her front porch. Soon friends discovered her handiwork and requests started coming in for logos from the Chiefs and other sports teams. She’s also done people’s names, commercial companies and a logo of the State of Arizona. Haver spends three to four hours on each project if she paints the front of the stone only. She has to let one color dry before moving on a second or third color, she said. Several friends have asked her to paint the backs of their stones, so that takes her twice as long. Her most difficult project to date was a Kansas University Jayhawk logo. Haver originally used stones from her back yard, but eventually painted them all and began buying stones from a local company. Most of her projects measure about 6 inches by 9 inches. She selects stones that will stand vertically in people’s yards. I have three of her logo paintings adorning my front yard – Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas State University Wildcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers. Haver said she has enjoyed her new part-time job, in additional to her real job as a real estate agent. For additional information, contact her at 480-250-3425.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Mission of Mercy doctors help people at no cost without those components, we’d effectively just be putting a Band-Aid on medical problems,” said Andrew Jacob, M.D., J.D., a board member with the Arizona Health Partnership Fund, a funding organization for Mission of Mercy Arizona. “As a medical home to nearly 3,000 patients annually, we are able to follow along on their health journey and track their progress, especially with our patients who have chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes.” Mission of Mercy is 100 percent privately funded, receiving no federal or state funding. As a result, it is foundation, corporate and faith partners as well as individual community members who make this unique care accessible to our community’s most vulnerable. Mission of Mercy’s Arizona Health Partnership Fund is a qualifying organization for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. For more information on how to support Mission of Mercy through volunteering or by making a financial contribution, visit momaz.org.

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When a long-haul truck driver came to one of Mission of Mercy’s free mobile healthcare clinics, he was losing hope. He had recently passed out behind the wheel and woke up in the emergency department to find out he had skyrocketing blood sugar levels due to undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. One of his medications was more than $500 a month – an expense he could not afford. He was fortunate to find Mission of Mercy to get the care and medications he needed in order to improve his health and continue working. Mission of Mercy, a nonprofit with six mobile clinic sites throughout Maricopa County, is driven by its desire to restore dignity and provide healing through love with free primary healthcare and prescription medications. Over the past 23 years, Mission of Mercy has provided more than 254,000 pro bono patient visits and dispensed more than 422,000 free prescription medications to those – like the truck driver – who have fallen through the cracks of a broken healthcare system. At Mission of Mercy, no one is excluded from access to high-quality and compassionate care provided in large part by an extensive network of volunteer medical professionals and led by Medical Director Dr. Brad Smith.

Mission of Mercy maintains six mobile clinics that provide medical services to people in need. (Courtesy Mission of Mercy)

“We serve anyone who needs primary care services regardless of age, status, background or ability to pay. This means no sliding scales or qualifying process,” said Executive Director Paula Carvalho. “And we not only provide care and treatment for acute health concerns, we also provide holistic medical care and education for those dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes.” Mission of Mercy empowers un-

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Dancers and parents mourn artistic dance director Antoine Olds into them,” he said. “I’ve taught at many studios but this is the first where I’ve had such a conAs the minutes would tick down to nection with the kids. Like evtheir appearance on the stage, Antoine eryone else I didn’t know what Olds was known to give his dancers an this model was, but it has kept uplifting, somewhat humorous bit of us all together, it allowed the encouragement. kids to dance and has allowed “Fix your face,” he would say, his me to teach, so it works.” beaming smile and high-energy personConnection was important ality giving them a spirited lift before to Mr. Olds and his infecthey started their show. tious smile and the energy he But those words just wouldn’t work brought to everything he did last week for his students, their parents cemented relationships with and colleagues as they mourned his his students and colleagues in passing Nov. 9 at age 37. the dance world far and wide. A longtime Mesa resident, Mr. Olds His skills with choreogalso was a legendary figure in the raphy, costume design and dance world generally and especially in good old-fashioned mentoring Ahwatukee, where he and a small group and coaching became so well of parents started the Phoenix Dance known that he just wasn’t Cooperative – a different kind of dance sought for dance exhibitions. studio because the nonprofit is funded “He planned weddings and and run by parents whose children learn bridal showers and baby showballet, hip hop, lyrical and other forms ers and proms,” said Wentof dance. worth Columbia, whose own Tempe High School dance director Ambur Towns and Antoine Olds were not only best friends but also wedding and baby shower His sudden passing – the cause of death has not been disclosed – prompt- shared artistic direction at the Phoenix Dance Cooperative. (Special to SanTan Sun News) were planned by Mr. Olds. ed grief-stricken students and parents In May, when pandemto head to the Phoenix Dance Coopera- wanted nothing more than to make him they’re as young as 2 or 3, Mr. Olds did ic-fueled school closures left tive’s studio for evening vigils the week not take his first dance lesson until he proud,” she said. high school seniors without live gradof his death. They lit dozens of candles, was 18. He did that to students, colleagues uations, Mr. Olds organized a special hung balloons and pasted its storefront and others said: You wanted to do He quickly made up for that late graduation ceremony for the six high with handmade posters expressing their your very best because he gave them start, setting up two years later the school seniors who were students at gratitude to Mr. Olds and their grief Independent Dance Xtreme company, his very best – and that was something Phoenix Dance Cooperative. over their loss. where he was artistic director. very special. “Antoine planned an entire high “He has touched countless dancers’ His choreography won numerous “He was a very important person and school graduation just for our graduatlives in Ahwatukee for the last 15 years,” loved and respected by many dancers regional and national awards and by 22, ing seniors,” Wentworth Columbia said. said Kyrene Governing Board member he had won eight choreography awards, “He set up a stage. He had a balloon and their families,” said Ahwatukee and Ahwatukee resident Margaret Pratt. Dance Studio 111 owner Kimberly Lewis. including one presented by world-rearch. He had speakers. He had music “The loss is immense.” nowned choreographer Brian Friedman. playing. He had diplomas for them. “I did not know him personally but Echoing the sentiments of untold His skills became internationally knew him through the dance commuThey got to put on their cap and gowns, numbers of parents, Pratt said two of nity and knew he was loved by so many known as companies and dance compe- flip tassels and we live-streamed it for her four daughters began studying untitions sought him as a choreographer, dancers and their families,” she added. all their families.” der Mr. Olds a few years ago “and it was “This is truly heart breaking.” instructor and judge. Mr. Olds was particularly fond of a dream come true for them.” “He taught and judged competitions organizing banquets, she added. Ironically, while many students in “He taught them so much and they the world of dance start stepping when in Australia, in New York and Texas,” “He just threw these incredible, said longtime friend and colleague elaborate events,” she said. “He just Michelle Wentworth Columbia. “Peowent above and beyond with over-theple brought him out to their studios top decorations and themes and suball over the country to choreograph themes. He loved stuff like that and all dances for them, to teach their kids, of these kids got to experience that.” to do workshops. Even in Australia and Perhaps his closest friend and colLondon, people were reaching out to league was Ambur Towns, Tempe High him.” School’s dance program director and Wentworth Columbia and Mr. Olds Mr. Olds’ artistic co-director at the knew each other from when they were Phoenix Dance Cooperative. She was both instructors at the old Dance too grief-stricken to talk about her loss. Depot in Ahwatukee. But in 2011, the So too were family members, who Dance Depot closed its doors, raising had not yet released any details about concerns among six dads whose profes- services for Mr. Olds. Arrangements are sions had little to do with dance except being made by the Melcher Mortuary for the fact they all had daughters who Mission Chapel & Crematory in Mesa, had formed a tight bond at the defunct but no obituary has yet been posted by studio. print deadline. They reached out to Mr. Olds to That grief hangs over the Phoenix help them organize the Phoenix Dance Dance Cooperative members as well. Cooperative. Wentworth Columbia recalled that The parents divided into volunteer last week, “We were all talking at our committees to run day-to-day operalittle vigil the other night about what tions while a board of directors was set Antoine would say about the inconup to make the bigger decisions. They solable crowd gathered in front of the set it up as a nonprofit so all proceeds studio. could go back into the studio and the “We were all there crying and instructors. mourning and we were all kind of joking Mr. Olds, who was co-artistic diabout what Antoine could see us all rector at the cooperative, said at the sitting out in front of the studio. He time, “My big concern was making sure I would say, ‘Fix your face and keep goPhoenix Dance Cooperative students staged a series of vigils outside the Ahwatukee studidn’t lose any of our kids to anyone. ing.’ And that’s exactly what we’re going dio last week, sharing memories of their late co-artistic director Antoine Olds. (Michelle “As teachers we invest so much time to try to do.” Wentworth Columbia/Special to SanTan Sun News) BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

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2 Chandler galleries offer quilt exhibits SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler’s two downtown galleries – Vision Gallery and The Gallery at the CCA – are displaying 25 years of quilts through the end of the year. Vision Gallery’s “Art Quilts XXV: Fleeting Moments” is an annual exhibition that draws national and internal entries – and hundreds of patrons anxious to enjoy them, The entries capture “ephemeral moments that remind us of our inner beauty, our strength, our fragility, earth’s wonder and the cycle of life and decay,” the city said in a release. “Being mindful of these moments and capturing them reminds us of the connections that live eternally beyond us.” Participating artists include Kim R. L. Baird, Nancy Bardach, Claudia Barner, Sandra Branjord, Betty Busby, David Charity, Patricia Charity, Catherine Clark, Shannon Conley, Vicki Conley, Marian Crane, Linda Engstrom and Laurie Fagen. Also represented are works by Debra Goley, Nancy Green, Betty Hahn, Marla Hattabaugh, Georgia Heller, Margit Kagerer, Kathleen Kastles, Debra Kay, Aryana B. Londir, Anne Moats, Frances Oldham Murphy, Frauke Palmer, Margaret A. Phillips, Wen Redmond, Lynn Rogers, Shelley Rothgeb, Brenda H. Smith and Shelly White. Meanwhile, the Gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts presents “Linda Anderson: Common Threads.” Anderson’s quilts “tell the compelling narratives of people from many cultures around the world using images gathered from her travels,” the release said.

Stunning artistry in quilts can be viewed in separate exhibits at Chandler Center for the arts and Vision Gallery in City Hall. (Courtesy of City of Chandler)

“Her realistic depictions celebrate the ordinary moments of people’s lives that often go unnoticed, capturing the essence of the humanity we all share. Anderson’s quilts encourage us to connect across physical and cultural divides.” The San Diego artist uses fabric, thread and paint to create her fine art quilts. She contrasts vibrant colors in the foreground against the darker background, drawing the viewer in to appreciate the incredible brush work and delicate stitching that make up the pieces. “These artistic details add richness and intricacy to Anderson’s quilts in the same way that the quiet moments depicted add to the fabric of our lives,”

the release said. Anderson studied at Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County where she earned a BFA and MFA in drawing. Her work has been featured in numerous national and international exhibitions; in 2019 she won Best in Show for her piece Velvet Flowers in Art Quilts XXIV at Vision Gallery. “We are so proud to have these phenomenal quilts on display in our

galleries,” said Peter Bugg, Visual Arts Coordinator. “Each year the quilt exhibitions give the community the opportunity to see the extraordinary work of master quilt artists. This is definitely something you will want to put on your “to do” list this holiday season.” Vision Gallery, inside Chandler City Hall, at 10 E. Chicago St., is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. People who are looking for unique holiday gifts can peruse Vision Gallery’s offering of cards, jewelry, home goods and other items created by local artists. Art-o-mat vending machines in both the Vision Gallery and the Gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts also have some unique gift choices. Proceeds from sales are used to fund Vision Kids workshops, free art classes offered to the community. The Gallery at Chandler Center for the Arts, at 250 N. Arizona Ave., is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Admission is free in both spaces. More information on these exhibitions can be found at visiongallery.org.

Web series features Chandler special effects wizard

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A Chandler man is among the four artists featured this month in the popular AZ Creates! web series. The series, which highlights artists and authors, is produced and hosted by Laurie Fagan of Chandler’s Fox Crossing community. Among her guests is Robert Diepenbrock of Chandler’s Clemente Ranch neighborhood. He will be joined by author Karen Mueller Bryson of Florence, fiber and glass artist Adriene Buffington and author Edward L. Gates, both of Prescott. In an installment that has already debuted, Diepenbrock will discuss his background in theatre, film and television and creating special effects models for “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” and “ET: The Extraterrestrial.” He is also launching a new web series about locomotives, based on his model train involvement. Bryson, a best-selling author, playwright, screenwriter, university psychology professor and publisher, will be featured in AZ Creates! “What Are You

Edward Gates

Adriene Buffington

Karen Mueller Bryson

Reading?” installment. In the Dec. 17 edition of the series, the Creative Connection artist is Buffington, who talks about her years

of making fiber art quilts and more recently, lamp work glass beads. Also on that program is Gates, a western/sci-fi published author who is

also involved heavily in theatre. In the program’s regular arts events See

CREATES on page 50

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Lakeshore Music announces 2021 season lineup

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The season will open four months late due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Tempe-based Lakeshore Music, Inc., is moving forward cautiously with announcement today of an abbreviated six-concert 2020-21 season lineup. Opening night is Jan. 23 for the series, which runs through May. “Difficult times call for bold leadership,” a spokesman said, noting Lakeshore is introducing a live-streaming option for season-subscription buyers. “They won’t even have to leave their recliners if they choose to watch from home rather than venturing to the Tempe Center for the Arts to see the concerts in person.” Audiences will be limited to 25 percent of normal Tempe Center for the Arts house capacity so that seats can be socially distanced for patrons’ safety. Lakeshore, which boasts of being “presenter of the finest jazz musicians in the world at TCA,” is selling only a sixshow season package this year at $400. They are on sale at lakeshoremusic.org. There will be no single-show ticket sales this season. Purchase of the season subscription includes a Lakeshore Music face mask and a complimentary cocktail for those who come to the TCA. Lakeshore’s season typically consists of nine shows, September through May. The innovative return to live perfor-

Tierney Sutton

Kenny Barron

Dennis Rowland

mances places Lakeside at the forefront in the presenting industry in the Valley, its founder believes. “We are in the vanguard of presenters who will jump-start live music again,” said Woody Wilson, the Tempe resident who founded Lakeshore Music and is its president and executive producer. “Zoom and streaming concerts are interim alternatives,” he said. “I love bringing people together for the music at TCA, and I need to get back to it. “We are not alone. Venues and presenters throughout the world, large and small, are faced with the same realities. When it comes to live performances,

everything is an experiment for at least the next year. “We’ve survived two global economic meltdowns and a pandemic. After 12 years, I have no intention of stopping any time soon.” All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at Tempe Center for the Arts. “It’s a mighty little six-show series,” Wilson said. “As we all know, it has been seven months of live-music lockdown. Somebody has to be first.” He also noted that besides its musical offerings, Lakeside Music also provides “social occasions where friends meet to catch up and share the experi-

ence of live jazz done well. It’s time to come back.” Lakeshore’s blockbuster opening performance on Jan. 23, 2021 is The Tierney Sutton Band, in a concert entitled “Screenplay,” the group’s latest Grammy-nominated album that is hailed as “an aural Oscar.” The group has garnered nine Grammy nominations in the past 15 years. On Feb. 20, Lakeshore welcomes Bob Sheppard & the LA Aces. The LA Aces are Larry Koonse on guitar, Josh Nelson on piano, Alex Boneham on bass and See

LAKESHORE on page 49

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ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Time to think about Ahwatukee’s Nutcracker 2020 SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

With the 2020 Christmas season officially underway – no matter how stunted by the pandemic – it’s time to think of one of Ahwatukee’s longest holiday traditions – the Nutcracker presented by Dance Studio 111 owner and local resident Kimberly Lewis. But just because it’s called the “Ahwatukee Nutcracker” doesn’t mean Chandler is excluded. Indeed, a number of key roles feature Chandler teens. As one of the East Valley holiday productions that have not been outright canceled or forced to go online, Lewis’ work takes on an even bigger meaning in a season that’s been shredded by COVID-19. Tempe Union High School District has already put Lewis’ traditional venue, Desert Vista High, off limits. So, she’s presenting her 21st annual Ahwatukee Nutcracker at the Madison Center for the Arts at 5601. N. 16th St.,

LAKESHORE

from page 48

Mark Ferber on drums. Sheppard is a versatile super talent who has played with A-list giants Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, the 5th Dimension, Chuck Mangione, Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole. It also is bringing back Harold López-Nussa in “Te Lo Dije” (“I Told You So”)” on Feb 27. The Cuban pianist was

The cast for this year’s Ahwatukee Nutcracker includes: from left: Marzipan Queen Taylor Carey, Russian Queen Laycie Michell, Queen of Sweets Mikaylee Bellino, Snow Queen Abby Bigelow, Sugarplum Fairy Ashleigh Griffin, Arabian Queen Lexa MacKenzie, Butterfly Queen Niyana Harris, Angel Queen Kiara Reyes, Spanish Queen Maddy Mindeman and China Queen Gigi Tosca. (Courtesy Kimberly Lewis/Dance Studio 111)

where the show will be at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 19 and 1 p.m. Dec. 20.

Lewis found the Madison Center after some frantic moments.

rebooked after his April, 2020, concert was canceled due to the pandemic. López-Nussa’s work reflects the range and richness of Cuban music and its embrace of jazz improvisation. His younger brother, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa, is on percussion, Julio Cesar Gonzalez on bass and Mayquel Gonzalez on trumpet. On March 27, American Jazz Hall of Fame pianist and NEA Jazz Master Ken-

ny Barron and his trio come to Tempe Center for the Arts. Barron, 77, has been nominated for nine Grammys and is considered among the most influential mainstream jazz lyrical pianists of his time. The April 24 performer is Dennis Rowland, who presents Basie Bash with The Young Sounds Orchestra. Rowland was the voice of the Count Basie Orchestra from 1977 to 1984 and

“Theaters sign contracts years in advance,” Lewis said. “I found smaller theaters but they did not have the rigging and fly system for backdrops and room for props to bring the magic of the Nutcracker to the stage.” Then she called Madison, a 2-year-old venue that Lewis called “a first-class stateof-the-art theater. This theater is gorgeous.” But the news was bleak: Madison was booked for the mid-December weekend she needed it. “I cannot tell you how many phone calls and hotel ballrooms and parks I contacted and how many miles I put on my car driving all over the Valley to find a venue for our Nutcracker,” Lewis said. But the company that had rented Madison the weekend she needed it backed out, and so the show will go on. The theater will handle all ticket sales and will follow all health protoSee

NUTCRACKER on page 50

shared the stage with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett. The season wraps on May 22 with the Bob Ravenscroft Trio in “A Homage to Bill Evans.” Pianist-keyboardist Ravenscroft cut his teeth in the clubs of Chicago. Max Beckman joins him on bass and Rob Moore on drums for interpretations of songs from The Great American Songbook, works associated with iconic jazz pianist Bill Evans.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

Chandler Museum has programs, gift ideas SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

for sale in the Museum Store. They are:

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs this month. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480-782-2717 or chandlermuseum.org. Unless noted, registration is not needed.

Southwest Holiday Traditions The holiday season is filled with unique traditions—and the Southwest is no exception, Museum in a Box contains supplies for four Southwest-themed holiday activities and a book. Families will learn about The Legend of the Poinsettia, and then follow instructions to make bright flowers out of felt. Other merry projects include: working together to design luminarias, arranging mini cotton-boll wreaths, and assembling a tree inspired by Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree. $12, for all ages to complete together

MERRY & BRIGHT

BIGGER THAN BOXING

Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title Through Aug. 29, 2021 It was March 22, 1967 in Madison Square Garden, New York Cit when two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. In the blue corner, the Champ, Muhammad Ali. In the red corner, the challenger from Chandler, Zora Folley. What follows is a fight at the crossroads of race, religion, sport, and the politics of the 1960s. “Bigger than Boxing” features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man, and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers.

QUESTERS’ WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE EXHIBIT

Through Jan. 3 The Questers’ Women’s Suffrage Exhibit commemorates the 100th anniversary of passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote. Six freestanding banners tell the story of the 72-year nonviolent struggle to win the vote. The exhibit features colorful illustrations and easy-to-read descriptions of the reasons women had to fight for the vote, efforts to win the vote, difficulties the suffragists faced, women’s suffrage in Arizona, progress

NUTCRACKER

from page 49

cols, including socially distant seating. Families will be able to purchase tickets to sit together and the theater ropes off other seats.

CREATES

BUILD IT! FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IN CHANDLER

One of the Chandler Museum’s Museum in a Box ideas includes a chance to teach children about holiday traditions in the Southwest. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

women have made with use of the vote, and the theme that “each of us makes history.” Women’s suffrage is a timeless topic, because the suffrage movement is an iconic example of the democratic process. The Questers’ Women’s Suffrage Exhibit was developed in cooperation with the Arizona Capitol Museum and the Arizona State Library.

Chandler during the Christmas season. The Tumbleweed Tree has since become a long-standing holiday season tradition. This exhibition showcases photographs, postcards, and memories from the 60+ year history of the tree. See how the construction of the tree has developed over the years, revel in some of the national attention this tree has garnered over the years, and share your memories of this festive Chandler tradition.

C IS FOR COTTON: CHANDLER’S CROP

A Very Chandler Christmas Through Jan. 10 In 1957, Chandler resident Earle Barnum spearheaded construction of cotton-boll wreaths and a tree made from tumbleweeds to decorate downtown

MUSEUM IN A BOX OFFERINGS

Dive into culture, history, and art at home with a themed activity box. Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and supplies for three-five activities. Museum in a Box is available

This box contains a book plus four activities to explore Cotton, an important crop in Chandler’s history. Feel actual cotton straight from the plant, learn about the life cycle of a cotton plant, do the “Can you…?” Cotton Challenge to find things in your home made from cotton, and read the book From Cotton to T-Shirt. $12, Designed for ages 3-5 and their caregivers, includes supplies for two users.

“This theater is triple the cost that we have in our budget but I am hoping our community will continue to support us and make the drive to the theater to support our children who have been in rehearsals since August to bring this show to life,” Lewis said.

“We need our community’s support and we need them to please come see the magic of the Nutcracker this holiday season,” she added, noting the theater is off the Loop 51 Piestewa Freeway and Missouri Avenue. Lewis already knows what she wants

under her tree: the same feeling of accomplishment she has every December after another Nutcracker production. “As long as we are able to pay our theater rental and tech crew this year,” she said, “that’s all I want for a Christmas.” Information: ahwatukeenutcracker.com.

TUMBLEWEED TREE

from page 47

segment, called “Something to Look Forward To,” co-host and graphic designer Cathy Beard of Clemente Ranch will highlight art happenings from around the state. The featured nonprofits are the Arizona Citizens for the Arts, an organization for that helps with legislative issues for the arts and Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona. The programs all close with a “Creative Quote of the Day.” AZ Creates! is a twice-monthly, half-hour web series to highlight artists, writers, dancers, musicians, film, theatre and TV creatives, and other artistic people in Arizona. Fagen, an artist and crime fiction

Explore architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popular Who Was? series. $18, ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users.

Chandler resident Robert Diepenbrock has worked on special effects for many Hollywood movies, including "Starship Troopers." (Special to SanTan Sun News)

novel writer, designed the program to connect art patrons with artists, and to work on a positive project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Show #7 airs at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, and Show #8 on Dec. 17. All episodes are available on the AZ Creates! YouTube channel at any time, along with other video content. Sponsorships are available with introductory rates and discounts for multi-show commitments. Sponsors for the show include Mary Contreras State Farm Insurance, Sibley’s West, an Arizona and Chandler Gift Shop and Times Media. Subscribe to the AZ Creates channel on Youtube.com at is.gd/AZCreates, visit the Art Online AZ Facebook and Instagram pages or email AZCreates. ArtOnlineAZ@gmail.com for details.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | DECEMBER 6, 2020

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Hanukkah a time to celebrate freedom, redemption BY RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. Guest Writer

In the beginning there was light. Over 2,100 years ago, the light was almost extinguished. But then humanity was introduced to an awareness that not only illuminated the path of life’s journey but also enabled us to understand the difference between good and evil. We know only too well that evil is all around us. We see it every day and we feel helpless by its ugliness. Evil is like the snake crawling on its belly, lurking around every corner. It crawls because it cannot walk upright. Evil hides behind a cloak of invisibility because vision is its enemy. Good, on the other hand, requires light so that everyone can marvel at its splendor and how indispensable it is for complete fulfillment. It is so difficult to be good because our inclination is to be bad. And so, the effort is greater. Hanukkah helps us understand this eternal struggle. The lesson of Hanukkah should be that military might or the ability to wage war is contrary to the relationship

required of us to achieve a divine bond. Perhaps that is why the Book of the Maccabees was not included in the Canon of Jewish Holy writings. To glorify armed conflict contradicts the very essence of Heaven’s connection to Earth. And yet, without Hanukkah and its military aspect, we would not be able to celebrate freedom and redemption. Perhaps the intent was to allow us the ability to decide when struggle justifies the need for spiritual awareness. Hanukkah began the process of globalization of the understanding of God. The true meaning of sacrifice can be found in the light that emanates from the Menorah and affords us the opportunity to engross ourselves in the true meaning of the relationship between God and the created. Hanukkah comes at a time when darkness surrounds us. Whether it is the darkness of mind and body or the darkness of destructive experiences. There is despair and hopelessness because the days are short, the night is long and the cold harshness of winter is upon us. We are reminded of our mortality. Some sleep and some die. For this is the darkest time of the year, the darkest time of our lives.

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Then there is light. The warm glow of the candles kindles an awareness in our hearts that radiates strongly and gives us solace. We watch the flame, almost hypnotized, and we are assured of a brighter tomorrow. Each night we light another candle to be added to the candle of the preceding night until all eight are lit. And each encounter with the new flame gives us a new sense of enlightenment, a new level of holiness. We light eight candles to differentiate between the Creator and the created. For in six days did God bring order from chaos with the “Word” and we utter the words that bring us order into our daily lives with an eighth day of wonder, a miracle of lights, thanking God for the wisdom and understanding that makes life meaningful. We celebrate in our homes because there too do we find the comfort and serenity that separates the Holy from the profane. Our homes are sanctified through the blessings of family and friends. And it is in our homes that the lessons of life are first learned. We cannot recapture the past, but

we can use it to ensure the future. The religious freedom we established some 2,200 years ago has been the clarion call for all people throughout history. Every effort at freedom has had as its example the spark from the candles lit when evil was overcome. The Temple where it all began is no more, but the Temple is with us in all that we do, in all that we are, and on Hanukkah. We pray, not only for ourselves, but for all peoples everywhere that the light of freedom will glow forever; that the light will give hope and meaning to our journey through life; that the light of redemption will enable us to fulfill our destiny; that the light of Hanukkah will remain a symbol for the future. We pray that the light will illuminate the paths of darkness awakening our souls to our societal duties; reminding us that there is goodness and we have an obligation, a moral responsibility, to comfort the oppressed, to respond to those in trouble and relieve as much pain and suffering as we are able; that tomorrow can be better and that life is cherished above military might or the ability to make war. Rabbi Irwin Weiner is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.